Hear Me Roar
by She-Wolf360
Summary: Hazel Potter is put in Gryffindor and grows up with her brother, falls in love with a good man, fights bravely in a war against prejudice and evil, saves her family and lives happily ever after. So... did you like it? Nice story right? To bad it isn't true. James' twin OC story.
1. Prologue

Prologue: Just A Name

 _September 1_ _st_ _, 1971_

 _"Hazel! James!" Mary Potter shouted from the bottom the stairs. September 1_ _st_ _, first day of Hogwarts for the two. It was eight in the morning and she was yet to hear movement from upstairs from her eleven-year-old twins. She waited for a couple of seconds, and soon heard the thumping of feet hitting the floor. Satisfied, Mary turned and walked back to the kitchen._

 _James's eagle owl 'Colin' (which he thought was a hilarious name for an owl) sat on back of one of the oak chairs around the kitchen table, following her as she walked to look after the bacon she was cooking once again. She swore that it was going to eat her one day._

 _When she went to retrieve eggs for breakfast as well, and sighed as she noticed Hazel's stuffed lion on the couch. She always left a mess somewhere. She had had the lion for years though, named it Godric and was very proud. 'Hear me roar' she would proclaim at the top of her lungs at times._

 _"Are the monsters up?" Mary glanced behind her and saw her husband, Nicholas, saunter into the kitchen. He, tall and black bearded, sat down at the table and picked up the daily prophet on the table. Colin squawked in objection the intrusion into his space. Spoiled bird._

 _"One is at least." Mary informed him, knowing very well which one it was._

* * *

 _Hazel Potter, eleven-year-old extraordinaire and master of everything (a title she had bestowed upon herself), balanced on the headboard of her brother's bed. James was still sleeping unassuming below her perch._

 _The twins looked very similar. They had both inherited their fathers black hair that stuck up every which way and could never be tamed (much to the chagrin of their mother) and both were tall but scrawny for their age. They had his smile as well, big and toothy with dimples, with infectious consequences. However, while Hazel had inherited their father's eyes as well, sea green in colour, James had inherited their mothers softer brown which always held an essence of mischief. Still, they looked more similar than they did different… not that you would know it at that moment however._

 _Hazel, her face concealed, used her feet to put pressure on the mahogany head board, a creak being emitted. She leaned further over until her head was only a couple of feet above James's._

 _James rustled, still asleep, but the disturbance did its job and woke him up. His eyes fluttered open and with a yawn, he leaned over to his bedside table to pick up his glasses (another difference between the twins). Returning to his position lying down and sighed contently as he went to look at the ceiling._

 _"ARRGH!" He let out a scream however as he saw what he swore hadn't been there before. A hideous furry monster was above him with red eyes and black and white fur… and a curiously familiar laugh._

 _"HAZEL!" James complained, but his scream turning into laughter._

 _"Scared you!" Hazel claimed victory as she flopped down onto the bed beside James who sat up._

 _"No you didn't!" James contested._

 _"Scared! Scared! Scared!" She continued, poking her brother in the chest with each jibe._

 _"Ow," James cowered dramatically but ever so falsely. "Wait till I tell mum you beat me up."_

 _"You get more than that when I win!" Hazel took off the mask and the twins smiled at one another, sitting across from one another._

 _Smelling the air, James swept back his hair to make it even messier than it was and took a deep breath. "Mum's cooking bacon. Dibs the crispy pieces."_

 _"Good luck getting them." Hazel challenged, knowing they would race each other downstairs for them._

 _"Eggs too, with beans and potatoes." James was more like a hound when it came to food, Hazel could only smell breakfast-y goodness herself. "What do you think?" As if he didn't know for sure._

 _"I think you're a dork," Hazel replied getting up._

 _"I learned from the best." Hazel stuck her tongue out back to him. A 'meow' came from underneath James's desk._

 _"Did mum bring our robes back up?" James asked, looking around._

 _"Yeah, they're on your outside doorknob."_

 _Hazel stooped down and picked up her calico cat, mitzy, from her hiding spot._

 _She then moved to the door and tossed James's Hogwarts robes' towards him. Their mother had kept their robes until then, as she didn't seem to trust them to not get them dirty._

 _Honestly, their mother wounded them sometimes._

 _"Won't be plain black for much longer."_

 _James picked them up and got out of bed to put them away for later. Needless to say, 'putting them away' entailed just stuffing them in his bad to get changed into on the train._

 _"Red and gold!" Hazel's excitement grew._

 _James nodded in agreement._

 _Hazel just knew that they were going to be in Gryffindor, the Potters always had been since Hogwarts first started. It was going to be great, she and James the unstoppable team. Playing quidditch, finding hippogriffs, dueling evil, Hazel could hardly wait._

 _"Hazel and James! Breakfast is getting cold!"_

* * *

 _"Found one," James called back to Hazel right behind him. They had just hugged their parents goodbye and were trying (and apparently succeeding) to find a compartment._

 _Hazel could hardly stand still, a bundle of excitement. Mitzy in contrast, who sat in Hazel's arms perfectly content, didn't seem to give a care as to what was happening. She had heard stories sure, but this was the first time she had been inside the famous train. She had never even gone through to platform 9 ¾ before. It felt like when she had gotten her wand from Ollivanders (well… almost). Her wand sat in her pocket, having rarely left her side since she got it._

 _11 inches, Alder wood with a phoenix feather core. Ollivander, a quirky man with white hair, had smiled at her when the wand had chosen her with a brilliant display of shooting stars. He told her with a pleased smile that it was going to be a stubborn wand and that she would need to get used to having some spells backfire out of sheer spite from the wand for the first few years._

 _'Oh,' Hazel had replied, her smile fading as she looked down at wand that had given her a tingly feeling all up her arm. 'I can handle it,' and her smile returned at full voltage. She knew she could, she had been waiting to get a wand her whole life. Nothing could stop her. Hazel gave the wand a little pat and she reached her brother._

 _She followed James into the compartment and let Mitzy make herself comfortable on the velvet red seat._

 _James unlocked the window after setting Colin in his cage onto the compartment over the seat. Pulling it down, he stuck his head out and searched for their parents. Hazel joined him and spotted them a little ways down the platform._

 _"Mum! Dad!" she called, waving them over._

 _"Have a good time," their dad smiled as he placed a hand on the small of their mother's back._

 _"But not to good. No toilet seats in the mail James!" their mum interjected, looking at her boy sternly._

 _"Why me?"_

 _Hazel giggled and explained to James, "Because you'll be the one taking the seat, I'll be the one taking a photo of it." She had her camera in her trunk ready with her scrapbook. She had bought a new one for Hogwarts and all the adventures she would have there._

 _"None of that either," Mary rolled her eyes but smiled. She knew that if she did get a toilet seat in the mail, she wouldn't be too mad really; just amused. Hazel could see this when she noticed the slightest flicker of amusement in her brown eyes._

 _The train whistle blew right at eleven o'clock._

 _"Okay, you two take care of one another okay?" Mary changed tone as she and their dad began to walk with the departing train._

 _James answered "We will," while they were still beside us._

 _"Love you," Hazel blew their parents a kiss as the train began to pick up speed._

 _"Love you too!"_

 _The train left the station then, hiding any view of their parents as they set off north. Hazel and James were still looking out the window, their backs to the rest of the compartment when a knock came, alerting them that someone else was there._

 _At the entrance to the compartment, there was a boy, obviously a first year as well, with sandy blonde hair. He had several scars on his face and he was already in his school robes which looked a bit more worn then their own did._

 _Hazel's eyes brightened, their first wizard friend!_

 _"Hi!" Hazel chirped, turning away from the window to greet him. He smiled shyly in response. Hazel paused a bit when, despite looking nice enough, he seemed to step back a little bit. Undeterred however, she continued to smile nicely at him. "I'm Hazel, that's James."_

 _The boy looked quickly between the two. "Twins?"_

 _"And here I am thinking that our disguises were working so perfectly," James laughed a little bit. "But yeah, we're twins, and you are?"_

 _The boy blushed a bit in embarrassment. "Sorry, I'm Remus." He looked at his shoes quickly and then back at them._

 _"Could I sit here? Everywhere else is full."_

 _"Course," James shrugged, sitting back down._

 _Remus sat at the opposite end of Hazel's side, still pretty shy but smiling none the less._

 _'This is going to be great,' Hazel couldn't stop telling herself._

* * *

 _The first years waited apprehensively on the stairs in front of the great wooden doors that Hazel knew led to the Great Hall. She was talking to a couple of girls that she had gone in the boats with. Their names were Grace, a willowy girl with hair to light that it seemed white, and then Audrey who was plumper, with blonde hair and nice smile. Hazel had lost James at the boats. He had gone with Remus and two other boys that had joined their compartment as well, Sirius and Peter, and she had found a boat of only three to go in instead. The boy who had been in her boat as well had been nice, but separated from them at the shore to join a group of kids that he already knew. What was his name again? Lucas?_

 _Hazel and the two girls stood at the front of the others, the three of them nearly having run to the steps._

 _"Sis, there you are."_

 _Looking behind her, she saw James walking up to her… soaking wet._

 _"What happened?" Hazel raised an eyebrow. The crew from James' boat followed suit, all equally drenched._

 _"Boat magically tipped over," Sirius grinned behind James as they reached the top landing beside her._

 _"No explanation really," James grinned in a similar Cheshire manner._

 _Chuckling, Hazel turned to Grace and Audrey in order to introduce them to her brother and the other three, but before she could, Deputy Headmistress Minerva McGonagall returned._

 _"Follow me," The stern looking, 40-ish year old witch ordered._

 _Before moving off, Hazel took a deep breath and stood up straight._

 _"ATTENTION!" James whispered sarcastically to her when he noticed her actions. It didn't matter though, Hazel was nearly glued to McGonagall's heals as they moved up the Great Hall._

 _The hall was greater than she had ever imagined. Candles floating everywhere and constellations mapped out above them, the entire room had a golden glow. The room was packed as well, all the students apart from first years at their assigned tables, Slytherin, Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff and Gryffindor in that order. At the end of the hall, the head table was laid out with all the professors awaiting them. In the center could only be Albus Dumbledore, headmaster for the past 14 years. With a long white beard and fuchsia robes, he easily stood out from the others despite their own intricate and colourful robes._

 _"Simmer down there sister." She was pulled back by her hood by James who hissed those words into her ear after she had nearly stepped on McGonagall's robe for the third time._

 _Hazel glanced back at him and lightened her pace slightly. They had reached the end of the hall anyway._

 _Stopping in front of four steps, they were met by the sight a stool and the sorting hat. It wasn't just the muggle-borns amongst the first years who gasped when the hat opened its mouth and began a song._

 _Hazel looked back at the first years behind her. She recognized Allyria Umber, a girl whose father worked with her own in ministry courts. She was dark haired and eyed, and apparently the group of boys around her thought she was cute because they were either staring at her or blushing when she glanced their way in annoyance. Then there was Robb Wilde, a boy from down the road from her house. Godric's Hollow was small enough, so everyone kind of knew everyone. She had last seen him at a summer street party that had been held._

 _"Hazel," Audrey gave her a gentle knock on the shoulder. She blushed when she realized what the girl had directed her attention to. The sorting hat had finished its song and everyone was clapping. She joined in._

 _McGonagall stepped up beside the sorting hat and pulled out a large scroll from a pocket in her robes._

 _"I will call out your names in alphabetical order and you will join me up here, sitting on the stool. Then, I shall place the sorting hat on your hat, and you will be grouped into your houses." She gently picked the leather wizards hat up and unrolled the scroll. Starting from the top: "Abbington, Audrey."_

 _Hazel smiled at the girl who ambled up the stairs, completely at ease._

 _"Ravenclaw!"_

 _"Ackery, Arthur."_

 _"Ravenclaw!"_

 _"Avery, William."_

 _"Slytherin!"_

 _Sirius went to Gryffindor (much to the shock of some of the hall considering that apparently, his last name was "Black"- he did seem relieved though). Grace Duncan went to Gryffindor. Raven-haired triplets Elij went to Gryffindor. Remus went to Gryffindor. Fair-haired Marlene McKinnon went to Gryffindor. Bushy haired Julie McMillon went to Gryffindor. She was sizing up her housemates._

 _"Pettigrew, Peter."_

 _A minute later- "Gryffindor!"_

 _"Potter, Hazel." Her breath caught in her throat and she shot a smile to her brother who gave her a thumbs up. She could feel her heart beating in her chest._

 _Sitting on the stool, the hat was put on her head, just barely sitting above her eyes._

 _"Hmm… interesting," Her eyes shot open in surprise. She hadn't heard the hat say anything besides their houses to the others._

 _"This is in your head girl, just as it was for the others." Hazel froze again. She didn't mean for the hat to… hear that?_

 _"Sorry," She murmured, but smiling because she realized that a hat had just talked to her._

 _"The novelty wears off," The sorting hat replied once again, though it seemed to be thinking about something else._

 _"A good mind and a good openness to fill it… Potential, certainly potential, and oh… what's this? Hmmm, Better be…"_

 _'Gryffindor,' Hazel envisioned in her mind._

 _"Slytherin." The Hat called out as clear as day._

 _'Wait… what?'_

 _The hat was taken off of her head and McGonagall ushered her off the stool._

 _"But…" Hazel couldn't hide her surprise and, admittedly, disappointment. Slytherin? But she was a Potter. She was supposed to be in Gryffindor. She walked confused to her table, or the Slytherin table at least, and apprehensively sat down. She didn't notice that the table was clapping her just as all tables did when they got a new first year._

 _"Rachel," Still not quite with it, Hazel saw the girl beside her was sticking her hand out. She was tanned in skin and dark in hair with dark eyes. Rachel Chase she must be, another family that she knew had someone working with her father._

 _"Hazel," She shook the girls hand, but was focusing on her brother. That hat was covering his own messy hair now. His took only a few seconds._

 _"Gryffindor!"_

 _He smiled but Hazel saw it falter when he glanced her way, her way where she wore a frown._

 _Not meaning it, but refusing to be bitter, Hazel threw him the strongest smile she could muster. He smiled again and sauntered off to his table. He didn't glance her way for the rest of the meal, and Hazel could guess why. He was probably confused but felt bad as well about what happened._

 _Hazel looked down her own table as the sorting continued, and her dazed confusion turned almost to fear. She had heard about these families. The Blacks, the Lestranges, the Goyles, the Parkinsons. All of them had kids at these tables. She was a Potter, she couldn't possibly belong there._

 _Hazel stopped herself. She was such an idiot. She didn't know these people yet, she couldn't barrel into expectations, she could have slapped herself for what she had begun to think about them already. Rachel seemed nice and so did all of the others at the table._

 _'Potters didn't get put into any other house than Gryffindor though', a small voice in her head told her, but she stopped herself again._

 _'Well, I guess I'll just have to be the first one!' the thought was perky in her mind and she did actually mean it. Afterall, names don't matter right?_

 _Having cheered herself up a little bit, Hazel looked over to James who had been saved a seat by Sirius it appeared. She didn't catch his attention. Worry overcame her again though at the thought of him._

 _Different houses split them up a lot. They never had been split up really. Her mother and Aunt Reyna (who was in Ravenclaw, but she was a Greengrass) had gotten split up (her mother had gone to Gryffindor) and they barely ever spoke now. Hazel had only met her Aunt on a handful of occasions, and many of them on accident. Apparently they had been close too._

 _Hazel rolled her eyes at herself, why was she so worried? She was in Slytherin, well then, she was just going to have to be doubly great and make twice as many friends. She was separated from James. So? They would still have classes together and hang out in free time. They weren't going to go all stupid and drift apart._

 _No, it would be all right. Things were only going to get better than they already were, she would make sure of it or her name wasn't Hazel Potter!_

* * *

January 1st, 1979

A foolish dream really. Hazel Potter, yes it was still her name, hadn't made sure of it.

She had grown her previously bobbed hair out to her waist. Her sea green eyes were duller and she looked tired and pale.

Six months after Hogwarts and she now sat in the shitty apartment that she rented out of pure spite. Could she technically afford better? Yes, but it was a choice. Very different from the Slytherin dorms and common room that she had grown protective of over the years. She had a rickety old bed, peeling wallpaper, and a damp smell. Not exactly the estate she had grown up in.

Her parents had left her a key to the Potter Gringotts vault, but her pride got on the way of her using it. They had passed away a couple of weeks ago, letters from them before hand still sat strewn around the room, asking her to come to lunch on Sunday. She hadn't been to 'lunch on Sunday' since the last Sunday of her summer before seventh year.

Two weeks they had been dead and Hazel had organized the funeral and had been the only one there apart from a few scragglers. Her brother sent flowers and a quick note profusely apologizing about not being there, but he just couldn't.

Sirius, the man that her parents had taken into the homes sent similar marks.

Just couldn't huh? Hazel knew what he was doing, something for the Order of the Phoenix. He hadn't told her himself, she hadn't seen him since their graduation date. It had been a joint effort of avoiding one another on both of their parts. She had expected to see him there though. Thus, she guessed she didn't really know, but it was probably a good guess as to why he wasn't present.

Oh well, there was a war on, funerals happened everyday.

The Order of the Phoenix had been set up by Dumbledore and Hazel knew all about it. Dumbledore had approached her about it, interested in a certain invention of hers and of the possible uses. Hazel had turned it down. Prideful yes, but she had her reasons.

The invention that Dumbledore had wanted however she still used. It sat on her desk asleep in a makeshift next she had made for it made of twigs and paperclips; her little bird.

It was small and black in color, only a splash of white on its face. Hazel had spent the better part of a year correcting her little birds. She had created them from some roses that had survived the winter at Hogwarts. Beautiful and red they had been and she made them sprout wings. And they say her brother was the star of transfiguration.

This bird could become two, or three, or twenty, depending on how many Hazel needed. She had charmed them to record any voice and play it back, or to see for her anywhere they could fly. They could send messages or retrieve objects, all while undetectable by security spells. That had been the tricky part and had taken quite a few looks around the restricted area of the Hogwarts library to do it, but it had been done. Now, to any spell, no matter how clever or strong, it was just a common bird (even if it was from a rose). Dumbledore had found out after catching her calling the bird to herself. She had never caged it, letting it fly, thus she had gone to seek it out in the woods and he had apparently chosen to follow her.

'Beautiful magic', Dumbledore had called it, truly seeming impressed.

He wanted to use them for war, that much was sure. Hazel wanted to use them for… something she guessed. She had been only interested in the mechanisms and workings of her idea, she had never intended to have them used, or to be used herself in order for someone to acquire them.

She called them with a song, and they answered to her with their own sweet melody and went to her side. That dynamic didn't need to be tampered with.

So this is the story Hazel was in now, not the happy one that she had made herself believe when she had been just a child. To bad that one wasn't true, it had been a nice story she had envisioned, but hey, nowadays, who was it true for?

She didn't keep stuffed lions named Godric anymore. She had shed into a different skin. She might not have claws, but her teeth were just as sharp.

'Hear me roar,' she thought soberly before cynically chuckling at herself as an owl peck came at her dirty window and Mitzy, her old and cranky calico, hissed in annoyance.


	2. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: JK Rowling will never be done justice.**

* * *

Chapter 1: Trading Hours

January 2nd, 1979

Knockturn Alley had nothing on the Dragon Way Pass. It was in the outskirts of London, hidden away from muggles via every controversial way possible. Hellhounds guarded the entrance just for extra "precaution". It was situated in an alley between two muggle apartments buildings that had windows boarded and iron finishings along the outside barely hanging on. The stores and industry that were present in Knockturn Alley were absent here. No apothecaries with unicorn blood or antique shops with strangling hands were to be seen. Make no mistake however; there was still an abundance of deals being made. Prostitutes to travelling men with far away treasures to be sold, this was the only place in London were literally anything could be found.

Hazel walked past the hellhounds without being gnawed at her ankles by them, and was met by the sight of long tables laid out and a mass of people. Doorways led into taverns on both sides of the thin and kinked street. Hazel nearly knocked into a portly woman with grime on her face as she searched for who she needed, earning a slap on the ear from the lady's chubby fingers. She was carrying a plate of food that seemed delicious however. Cherry pudding with a gooey sauce that even smelled sweet.

'Funny how holes in the wall have some of the best stuff', Hazel thought lazily. She wasn't there to eat though. Last night she had received a letter from someone she had hardly expected to see for at least a few more months. Yet apparently he was in London and apparently he wanted to talk to her.

She was dressed more expensively than the majority of the others that surrounded her, her robes having been a seventeenth birthday present from her parents. Her robes were a dark plum with dragon hide lining. With dainty silver, bird shaped fastenings and a perfect fit; she looked like a witch of the Potters. The long robe was done up to her throat, concealing her muggle clothes underneath, much less sophisticated. Her pale hands were covered by dragon hide gloves. Her black hair was bundled up into the neatest bun she could manage without magic, but strands of hair still had their own agendas and stuck out whenever and wherever they could. She did however wear the one piece of inheritance she had received that even her pride didn't stop her from keeping close; her mother's comb that was silver and had moonstones set into it. That wasn't the main attraction for it however, unbeknownst to any who looked at it. The spikes at the end were dangerously sharp, able to cut through rock and held manticore venom in the ends. Hazel wore the comb carefully in her hair, just as her mother had done. She herself had inherited it from her side of the family, the Greengrasses, and it had been their little secret about what it could do. Her father and brother hadn't known about it. Mary Potter had worn it to the majority high-class affairs she and her husband had gone to.

Such a thing wouldn't be so bad to take along to a place like Hazel was in now. Today however seemed to be a good day for these people.

It was a cold winter's day and her breath condensed in front of her. She was very thankful for her robes however. There was no snow however, just wet and dreary with ice patches scattered around the place.

Not having seen the one she was looking for, Hazel looked around at the others around her. A ruggedly handsome man, with dark hair and dark stubble as well as a full dragon hide jacket (very expensive) but no shirt underneath, was selling a pretty silver bracelet. The band was large and looked heavy, but was thin enough to look daintily handcrafted. Emeralds and sapphires were set into it in alternating patterns. From the south of France apparently and goblin made.

Another 'vendor' had obsidian to sell in the shape of a knife set. The dark material was incredibly sharp and wouldn't go dull easily. The handles were gold and had centaurs engraved into the sides. The 'vendor' wasn't nearly as nice to look at however, greasy and slightly vampire-ish, so Hazel's eyes quickly wandered.

Then there was a woman who looked to be part veela who had a large crowd of men around her. She wasn't dressed in anything special, but when you looked like she did and had a permanent shade of moonlight around her, clothes weren't what mattered.

"A beautiful bracelet for a beautiful women?" Hazel whirled around defensively when someone grabbed her wrist, her wand immediately out and pointed at the throat of who had touched her.

It had been the man with the bracelet, and he just smiled cockily at her and her actions.

"You hardly want to start a fight here," His Spanish accent was thick. "I only wish to see this on a woman like you." He held up the bracelet and Hazel would admit that she was charmed by glimmer of mischief that she saw.

"Who'd you steal it from? Some French family or the goblins themselves?" She dropped her wand from his throat but kept it out, pointing it to his groin now.

"My dear lady, you wound me. I'm an honest trader, that's all." The man shrugged but didn't lose eye contact, unaware of where she was now in a defensive position. "I searched far and wide for something of this quality."

'Funny', Hazel thought to herself. 'Their balls always seem to matter so much to them yet they never expect anyone to go for them'.

"There are better places to sell this if you really want the price that it can fetch." Hazel raised an eyebrow. "Those better places are problematic however if someone is looking for it."

"I doubt any eyes for it would be up here. I travel far." He didn't seem perturbed in the least. "I could tell you about the deepest caves of southern Asia or the secret gathering of ancient giant clans in eastern Europe. There are no eyes in those places either."

"There are eyes everywhere." Hazel smirked. Her bird flew overhead, following her just as it always did. "You have no idea the sweet songs even the most exotic bird can sing."

The trader took a step closer. "And you have no idea how many birds can miss the most cunning of snakes."

"So once again, can I interest you in a beautiful bracelet?" His index finger moved to her neck where he traced lazy designs. On his arm, Hazel spotted Azkaban tattoos. The tattoos were runes that were just for superstitious really, but they were supposed to dispel demons from a person. Then again, could Azkaban guards be too careful? It was complete nonsense of course the idea of the tattoos, but she wondered what he had done to earn them. Somehow, that made him even more attractive.

"I could tell you how I got them if you like." He must have seen her looking at them.

He was charming, and any other time Hazel would have gladly pursued him. The one she sought however chose that time to finally make himself known.

"You're a sight for sore eyes." Hazel and the man both glanced to the side where the voice had come from. Hazel smiled softly at the tall boy with black hair and grey eyes.

"Not as welcome as you are for me," Hazel glanced back at the man who had removed his hand from her neck, who bit his lip persuasively, as if beckoning her to stay.

"It's a fine bracelet, I'm sure you'll get a good price for it." Hazel told the man with the bracelet as a goodbye, before walking away.

"A friend of yours?" Her new companion asked.

"I was only there for the jewelry." Hazel lied as she walked with Regulus Black to a vacant area at the end of the long tables. The seventeen-year-old boy wasn't as handsome as his brother who had lived with the Potters when he ran away, but he certainly still had the good looks of his family.

"Your parents don't know you're here, do they?" Regulus pulled her seat out for her before taking one across from her. She assumed he was home for the Christmas holidays. He was in his seventh year and had been in Slytherin with her, even if it was the year below. A sweet kid that Hazel had taken a liking too. He was like his cousin Andromeda who had been four years above her at Hogwarts but was still a friend to Hazel even now. She doubted Regulus would like the comparison to Andromeda though. Hazel felt bad for the boy, she had an inkling as to the path he was going to take but she knew he wasn't cut out for it. It just wasn't him despite what his family thought.

Regulus shook his head before the two became silent. Hazel was a bit confused. He had said that he needed to speak with her and yet there he was just looking at his feet almost nervously.

"You could've picked a better location," Hazel commented as she watched a burly, bald man be led into one of the taverns by a woman who Hazel could only guess was a prostitute.

"It's the only place where no one cares who you are," Regulus shrugged weakly. Hazel nodded in agreement however, for it was very true. They only cared about what you could give and what you were willing to pay. In a strange way, it was probably one of the best places to hide if you didn't want to be found.

"I'm sorry about your parents," Regulus murmured, looking back up at her.

"Why? You didn't know them," She had been sad, but also angry. It was as much of their fault as the lackeys that had killed them. If they had stayed out of the fighting then they would still be alive.

"You don't seem that upset," Regulus looked at her questioningly.

Hazel took a second to reply, but merely said; "People die, it happens."

"I'll go get us some drinks." Hazel got up and went to get Regulus a butterbeer (he was still a boy really and she doubted whether or not he could handle something stronger) and her rum. She had heard about a spiced rum from Caribbean that was constantly smuggled into the alley and one couldn't get it anywhere else.

On her return, Regulus had pulled out a letter and placed it on the table. "I was asked to give this to you."

Hazel glanced at the letter before rolling her eyes and shoving it back. "You know I don't go in for that sort of thing."

"It was just an offer." Regulus took it back quickly, but didn't seem put out or eager to convince her. He had probably known the answer before he pulled the letter out.

She had had the letters before and she had burned them all. She wasn't an angel, but that didn't mean she was going to take the side of devils… especially now. Couldn't she just stay neutral? Or was that not a possibility.

Funerals happened everyday yes, but she had just put her parents into the ground because of _that_ side. She couldn't be one to mourn the dead, but even still, she would hardly join it now after that. She hadn't before out of a difference in ideas as well as indifference, if they weren't careful they would eventually make it too personal.

Hazel glanced warily at Regulus' forearm that had revealed itself as he maneuvered to put the letter back into his pocket. It was still clear. He was a sweet boy, but they had their differences the two of them.

"Have your parents talked to you about taking the mark?" Regulus was accustomed to her forwardness, and nodded.

"What are you going to do?" Hazel knew the answer, but that didn't mean she couldn't cast more doubt in his mind. Telling him no would only make him stubborn (a trait he shared with Sirius, if Hazel remembered her observations of his brother correctly). Casting doubt and planting an idea however would be much more effective and the decisions would come from him.

"I'm…" Regulus drifted off, not meeting her eyes. "I'm not sure."

"Stop lying," Hazel rolled her eyes.

Regulus shot daggers at her accusingly. "You said you would never…"

Hazel raised her eyebrow at him and he drifted off. She chuckled. "Sweetie, I don't have to do anything to tell when you're not telling the truth. You always look away when you lie, did you know that?" She knew him to well to need to use any other _measures._

Regulus frowned and sighed.

"They've told me the chance to join will be after I graduate." Regulus admitted.

Her parents would have been rolling in their graves if they could see their daughter talking to someone so casually and indifferently about them taking the dark mark. But fuck them, they were dead and had left Hazel alone. They would have barged in though and tried to shake sense in Regulus about joining Voldemort and they would have gone on and on about their moral compass. James had been the one to truly take after them however and Hazel hadn't. Well… maybe when she was young she had. Times change however and she had to as well.

Hazel looked at Regulus a second more before whistling the specific tune that was sweet and melodic. Her little bird came swooping down, landing on her index finger. She stroked its feathers back and it sang a little song in appreciation. Her rose.

"You know Dumbledore and Voldemort have a similarity." Regulus broke their silence as he looked at her bird.

"If you ask me, they have several." Regulus chuckled.

"What I mean is that I know for a fact that both of them have been trying to make one of those. Both of them aren't doing to well at it either." This made Hazel smirk with satisfaction.

"In the end, it was simple really." She replied thinking of how she had deemed her little birds finished. Regulus had been there and had helped her with the final step. Her little birds had seen straight through a Fidelius Charm. Regulus had found an answer in a book that dated from the founders of Hogwarts despite having an unknown author. Hazel had kept the book and it now sat in her apartment in the locked gold box that she kept many hidden things in. It had been a gift from an unknown sender, the box.

Had she ever thanked Regulus? He had been the person to figure that out and had been one of two people that Hazel had included in project (the other being Rachel, a dear friend, who was spending the New Year season in Australia).

No, Hazel didn't think that she had.

Her little birds though, if they could do that, then they were ready.

She wondered if Regulus had told anyone about what they had done. She considered searching in her certain way to find out but decided against it. She had made a promise to him and she wasn't about to break it.

Then again, if Voldemort was still struggling to recreate them, their work must still be _their_ work. He had promised secrecy as well, and from him Hazel knew that could be trusted.

"I remember," Regulus nodded before they drifted into silence again.

"What do you think I should do?" Hazel knew that he had made up his mind, but he wanted someone to confirm his decision. Have some sort of validity. He knew that she didn't agree with the deatheaters, but he also knew her to not have taken the side of the Order either. She was probably the most neutral person he knew and he wanted opinions from her. She would give him none.

His family had made his decision for him, and she was going to do what she had to get him out of it. Not telling him that he was doing the right thing or the wrong thing was the first step. It had to be gradual so that he would believe that it was his idea.

'He better not get himself killed the mean time however' Hazel lamented.

"It's your choice Regulus, no one is going to make it for you. No one can make it for you." She answered nonchalantly. "You're the one who will have to live with the consequences of whichever side you choose. What do you want to do?"

"It's not a matter of want-" She cut him off.

"Regulus you're an adult. Yes it is. You can choose what you want."

"It's not that simple."

"It was for me. Dumbledore approached me, I said no. Voldemort approached me, I said no. I didn't hesitate for either of them."

"It's harder for me. You didn't have your family down your back."

Hazel thought about correcting him. Yes she did, her family was just urging her to join the opposite side. Well, her parents had been at least. James probably gave up years before on his own accord. This caused her bravado in front of Regulus to falter for merely a second but he didn't catch on.

She caught herself almost immediately though, she didn't show things like that.

"You have to have a stronger opinion then this." Regulus looked her in an almost pleading way but her poker face was still strong. Did he want her to tell him what a terrible idea that was? She had tried that tactic in school and yet there they were still. She knew he was referring to what had just happened to her parents; it was in light of this that he probably decided to talk to her about it.

"It's not yours to have." Hazel replied softly as she finally remembered her drink. Regulus looked dejected.

'It wasn't anyone's to have', she thought.

The rum sent a warm yet burning feeling down her throat. It was spicy (obviously) but had a strangely barbecue-like after taste. She wasn't sure she was a fan.

Setting it back down she looked back to Regulus. Her sharper features softened and she looked at him with a bit more compassion. He did look confused and unsure.

She reminded of the time when he was in fifth year and Sirius had just run away. When they returned to school, he had barely left her side when possible, following like a lost puppy. It was a rare time when he left the sides of Severus Snape or his cousins or Rabastan Lestrange. He had stuck with her and they had become friends. Hazel still thought he had started because he wanted to see his brother again. Even back then, Hazel wasn't the way to do it. She had already become an observer in her own house, not a partaker with the boys.

In their own way, Hazel knew they loved one another. She was almost envious and almost felt guilty. Sirius and James stuck together as close and Regulus had stuck to her, a sure fire way to make sure the two groups never went near one another.

Hazel and James had last really spoken together the year before in their fifth year, and that encounter had ensured that Hazel's pride wouldn't allow it to happen again. He had his own thoughts about her and that was fine. It didn't bother her.

She stopped herself. She was getting off track. This wasn't Potter drama time this was Regulus drama time.

"Reg, look at me." He had been looking at his feet once again. He did as she told him and looked back up. "Do you know what you would be getting yourself into? Some parts you will agree with and others you will vehemently disagree with. Just make sure what ever you decide is worth it. Unfortunately it's the latter that is the dangerous part. You're playing with fire; make sure you keep it under control. That sadly goes with both sides of your fight. I made my choice for my own reasons. You need to make yours for your own reasons. Both are open to you."

"My family will hate me if I don't." He seemed to be trying to justify himself.

"Family is defined by loyalty Reg, not blood."

She hoped that wasn't too cryptic. Regulus was loyal to her and she to him. Did that make it too obvious though perhaps?

Regulus frowned at her but he looked deep in thought.

Hazel looked at the time on a rickety old clock that hung on one of the taverns doors and realized her error. "I need to hurry off. I have a job."

This knocked Regulus out of his thoughts and he scrambled for a second a pulled the letter from his pocket back up, standing up with her.

"Just take the letter okay? I don't think my parents would be happy if I came home with it in my pocket."

Hazel consented and took it.

"You can always owl me."

* * *

Hazel had walked Regulus out and made sure he apparated safely. As soon as he did, Hazel took the letter he had brought out of her pocket and glanced at it.

With her palm open, she watched as she made it burst into flames. She dropped the ashes and left. She was getting so good at that little piece of wandless magic. She had another piece of paper in her pocket, a way to contact the attractive Azkaban merchant. The paper was blank but she assumed that it was two way. She wrote something down and he would see it on a corresponding piece. A unique way to be asked out as far as Hazel was concerned.

She should have burnt it too really, but what was the harm in a little fun?

She then, too, apparated with a crack and soon found herself in the front of a fair sized country cottage in Derbyshire. She took a deep breath. She was not looking forward to this job. Her jobs were far and few between however and no matter how much she charged, she had take whatever she could get. She kept out of her vault for pride, and she had to deal with it. This was her way of dealing with it.

With tap of her to her stomach, her body had quick wrenching feeling go through it that nearly made her puke. Glancing at her hands however, she saw that her skin had changed tone, figure had put on weight, and she looked to see that her hair had become tightly coiled and a different texture. Her clothes had turned to all black, raggedy clothes.

Her disguise would only last about fifteen minutes, the spell not nearly as powerful as polyjuice potion, but she doubted she would need more time this almost definitely going to be a standard meeting.

Moseying up to the front door, the door opened before Hazel even had a chance to knock. Seems that the 40-ish year old man with hair that was beginning to grey had been looking out for her.

"Are you the one I sent for?" Hazel, in her disguise, nodded but didn't say anything, She merely showed him the letter that requested her help.

"Come in, come in." the man ushered her in

"What it is you need to know?" Hazel finally spoke. Her voice was deeper and not as smooth now.

She pulled her hood on further and stalked in the shadows as they walked through the simple home with few decorations. The man glanced back nervously and Hazel nearly laughed at herself. She was being ridiculous trying to be so mysterious.

"In here." The man opened a red door and led her into what had to be their living room. This room reminded her of her grandmother for some reason. It was a simple room but every surface had doily on it to protect the wooden furniture from the vases of bouquets around the room. The smell was nauseating and then she remembered why it reminded her of granny Greengrass. It was the same scent as her perfume; overpowering floral sickness.

Needles were knitting in the corner another doily. A few scarce pictures hung on the wall, all somewhat eerily smiling at nothing.

The furniture had a little wear and tear but was clean and obviously cared for. A woman holding a baby sat on a forest green sofa on the far side of the room under a window. The lady was hugging the baby, who looked to only be a few months old, close to chest and looked frightened.

Hazel could have just left right then. She swore these were the only cases she could get. She glanced at the women and caught her eye. Graphic details that she could have done without filled her mind as well as the fights she had had with her husband.

The lady backed further into the sofa, cowering from Hazel's gaze.

Legilimency had that effect on some people.

"The child is yours." Hazel said immediately. The man shot around and looked at her in astonishment while the women looked at her with surprise.

"I did eve-" The man began to say, but then seemed to change his mind. "But… we've tried for years and no luck. Then another man stays here for a few days and then nine months later a child is born!"  
Hazel shot him a glare.

"I have seen everything I need to. You should be ashamed for not trusting your wife."

"But…" The man stumbled. His wife, who still cowered on the couch let a great big grin grace her features.

"That will be 20 galleons."

* * *

That woman had been lying. Hazel had lied. She could have told them the truth but she didn't really care about a couple's infidelities. She had that mistake the first time she had a job like that. The party that had cheated nearly strangled her and she doubted whether the truth had made them happier. With another case she had told the truth and had given the accusing party every reason as to why it made perfect sense for their partner to have an affair. Her honesty there wasn't appreciated either. Wasn't it better for one party's worries to be settled than to be heartbroken?

'I'm a saint,' Hazel told herself as she walked up the stairs to her floor. The entire building had an anti-apparition line drawn around it. No one could apparate within a mile of the building.

"Miss Potter!"

'Ahh, the familiar screech," Hazel sighed as she finished the last two steps of the flight to meet her land-lord in her hallway, Mrs. Fitz She seemed to be in the situation of having a fit. You see, she was banshee and a very temperamental one at that. Sometimes Hazel swore she was going to scream and kill the entire building of her tenants. The only thing that probably stopped her is the fact that the dead can't pay her.

"Your rent for the week is late." The zombie-looking creature hissed, appearing in front of Hazel within a second. Hazel wasn't impressed by this, Mrs. Fitz smelt like she had that dead cat of hers in her robes instead of hiding in her closet.

"I realize Mrs. Fitz." Hazel fumbled with the pouch in her robes' pocket where her payment was lying. "A galleon it is." She flipped the coin from her pocket to the banshee and went to move past it. She glared when the banshee merely moved as well to block her way once again.

"Is there something else Mrs. Fitz?" Hazel inquired, annoyed now.

"That cat of yours ripped up the wall paper. That will be another galleon to replace it."

"It was already ripped." Hazel pointed out, sticking her hands in her pockets. She gripped her concealed wand with her right hand.

"No it wasn't! I know my own building Potter."

"Then you should know that you should consider redecorating perhaps, ripped wall paper is the least of your worries." Hazel stepped to the other side by the banshee just followed.

"You little princess owe me another galleon to repair the wall that your cat tore up."

"I don't owe you anything. I will fix it! I am a witch and I can do things like that!" Hazel pushed past the banshee and walked quickly to her door halfway down the hall.

"You owe me a galleon for repairs! I expect it before next pay day!"

Hazel unlocked her door quickly and locked it behind her.

Merlin she hated that bitch.

Mitzy sat on her bed, glowering up at Hazel.

"Oh, I'm sorry your highness, am I bothering you?" Hazel wasn't exactly in the mood. She merely got a meow in response.

She opened the window so that her little bird, which she had left at Dragon Way Pass, could fly back in. Almost as soon as she did, said bird flew in carrying a package.

The sun was setting on the cold day and it looked like it was going to snow soon. Glorious weather.

Hazel shut the window and went to look at what her little bird had brought back. It was strange and the bird usually didn't bring back mail unless she sent it looking for mail.

The package was small and wrapped in brown paper with white string on it, cylindrical in shape. A note was attached to it.

 _I went back after you left and bought this for you. I thought it would look nice on you. I saw your bird was still there so I'll try and have it deliver this to you. I'll see you in June. Talk soon._

 _Reg_

Hazel smiled and set the note aside. Unwrapping the paper, she found the goblin bracelet that the dragon hide clad Spaniard had been selling the receipt of purchase with it. She knew it was a good thing to have that considering that people were probably looking for it.

His parents were going to be furious that he bought this for her.

Hazel put it on and admired it. Yes, it did look nice on her Hazel decided.

Sitting down at her desk, she pulled out a piece of parchment and wrote him a thank-you note before sending it off with her little bird.

'Poor thing, reduced to an owl really,' Hazel thought as she let it go again after telling it to take the note to Regulus.

After she had watched it go, she turned back to her desk and took the bracelet off and took her comb out of her hair.

"Accio key," Hazel demanded, and a small gold key came whizzing out from under her pillow, landing in her hand. Opening her second drawer, she pulled out the medium-sized gold box, unlocked it and put the two pieces inside of it with other things that were just for her.

She slammed it shut though when a squawk came.

What did Mrs. Fitz want now?

She went to the door, throwing it open to demand to know what it was, but was met with the sight of an empty hallway.

She looked to the window instead and saw a large eagle owl outside with a rolled up piece of parchment in its talons.

Colin?

She frowned and deliberated as to whether open the door or not.

She had lain down on her bed for about two seconds before she growled in frustration, got back up and opened her bloody window.

* * *

 **A/N: Thanks for reading. Hope you enjoyed. Feedback is appreciated.**


	3. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: As if it wasn't obvious this is the gorgeous J.K. Rowling's world.**

* * *

Chapter 2: Wayward Old-Time Greetings

January 30th, 1979

"I mean, he seems nice enough, but when I spoke to him my eyes glazed over," Rachel Chase lamented over a failed date as Hazel sat in front of her. They were in Rachel's house (it actually had a kitchen) and were having breakfast (pancakes). Rachel had been back from her holiday for about a week and wasted no time in breaking men's hearts. Rachel was the pretty one out of the two of them and certainly the most approachable. She had been popular with the boys at school but never took them seriously. Hazel doubted whether or not she really gave any of them a second thought.

Rachel looked similar to how she had when she and Hazel had first met. Olive skin, dark hair eyes, but she had grown a much more feminine body than a pre-pubescent eleven year old. She was shorter than Hazel at 5'6 (Hazel was 5'9, height running in her family) and, according to the broken hearts that had gone to Hazel thinking she could get Rachel to change her mind, an enigmatic smile that men couldn't get out of their minds.

Hazel treated them will a quick hex to but however and a swift 'beat it', much to the appreciation of Rachel.

The two 18 year olds were still dressed in the pajamas with hair a mess and face a wry. Hazels hair stuck up as it normally did in the morning, her braid barely helping and sleep still stuck in the corners of her sea green eyes. Rachel faired better on all accounts as she always did.

Hazel had stayed with Rachel that night in order to avoid her land lady who was having a fit with screams threatening to emerge. It had been like when they were at school (sans the mermaids giving them lude gestures through the window in their dorm that led to the lake). They were still wearing their Slytherin jumpers for old times' sake. They had thought about braiding each others hair too just for a giggle. They hadn't done that since third year. That had been back in the days when she and Rachel had decorated their school hats in endless patches and glitter because they thought it was too boring being just black. Professor McGonagall had given them a stern eye but the one who mattered, their house head Professor Slughorn, had thought the concoctions delightful and Dumbledore was chuffed by them. One night at dinner during their first year, he had even magically glued on his own personal patches onto the hats. His touch had been big white daisies that danced when they were put in the sun.

Rachel was her best friend, always had been. The two of them had evolved together over school. They weren't the same people as when they started, yet they still fit together pretty well.

Most thought that the two formally quirky girls had gotten rid of those hats at the end of their third year, Slughorn commenting on their plain black hats that next year with great dejection. Rachel kept hers hidden away at the bottom of her trunk however, well looked after and Hazel had put hers in her gold box.

She was a valuable friend to have when it came to information. She worked as a reporter for the daily prophet, head of the courts section that was getting larger and larger each day. Rachel would go to all of the trials to write up the report. Many things had to be edited out, top secret information from Voldemort's information that Madeye Moody would die before he let it out. She was sworn to secrecy about those little tidbits yet she never minded Hazel using her ways to figure them out. Rachel loved gossip and loved to have people to talk about it with.

Hazel's dear friend however could also be a bit trivial however, which meant that there were also long talks about who she was sleeping with and who she wasn't.

Those talks did however come with food though, keeping Hazel from eating out and spending what little money she did have. She hadn't had another job since the one earlier that month and even with her extensive budgeting, she was low on coinage.

Though her version of 'extensive budgeting' was more similar to small patches of extravagances followed by patches of no spending at all and regret. Hazel liked good food and considering that her flat didn't have a kitchen, eating out was the only option. Her closet didn't suffer too much either.

She had one that afternoon however, some old lady in Surrey. Hazel didn't know why she was going or who she was _looking into_ , but it at least seemed as if it wasn't the same infidelity case over again.

"Did you sleep with him?" Hazel asked, twirling a triangle of pancake she had cut off on her fork.

"I don't think I could have even if I had wanted to," Rachel shook her head. "I would have fallen asleep by the time he took my shirt off." The two women laughed.

"So… another future Mr. Chase out the window huh?" Hazel continued eating.

"I dodged a hex there though, don't feel bad," Rachel nodded though smiling.

"Do you ever think they pull those attitudes just so you'll feel sorry for them and sleep with them anyway?" Hazel asked absent-mindedly.

"Sure, but as if I'd feel sorry for them." The brunette chuckled. "What about you? Any future Mr. Potters."

Hazel couldn't figure out why she thought back to Azkaban tattoos, but she did. They had gone out but that had just resulted in weekly letters about his travels. Fascinating people the sketchy ones are.

His name was Doran and he had left England soon after they had met. Apparently he was somewhere in the Mediterranean and was hunting a rare sort basilisk venom that could only be found there. Apparently it was red in colour, not clear, and caused immense and slow pain, just as deadly as generic basilisk venom but twice the torturous pain. A passionate poison for the right person Doran had wrote about it. She had written him again asking if he had any body in mind. He replied that he hoped he would someday; it would have to be quite the love in order to warrant such a vicious death. He was infiltrating some group of wizards that sounded like England's dear old deatheater in order to acquire it. Hazel admired his sly attitude towards what he did. He hated everything about the group. The way they talked, the way they dressed, the way they ate, but they had something he wanted and she had no doubt he would get it.

Unlike the majority of people that she met, she had a feeling she and he were going to be good friends. Maybe one day more, he intrigued her after all.

"Like I can afford to be in a relationship right now," Hazel rolled her eyes however. She hadn't told Rachel about Doran, she liked having her little secrets.

Rachel looked Hazel straight in the eye with a deadpan expression. "So find a rich old man and give a N.E.W.T. class in gold-digging." After a second of silence the two started laughing again.

'She's probably not joking,' Hazel thought however, smiling inwardly.

When they had quieted down, Hazel looked to Rachel again.

"Are there any trials coming up?" She wanted to know what the Wizengamot were up to.

"Definitely," Rachel nodded, smirking knowingly. "You know apparently Abraxas Malfoy is taking the seat soon?"

This sort of surprised Hazel as the Malfoys rarely made slip ups and got caught. The trial would be interesting. Hazel had no doubt that he wouldn't be convicted, but it was still noteworthy. The Malfoys knew how to keep their names out of the records however, and they had the gold to do it with.

Looks like the Minister was getting a pay rise soon.

"What did he do?"

"I don't know yet, you'll know as soon as I get back from it." Rachel shared a knowing smile with Hazel. Hazel was actually quite touched by how much trust Rachel had in her, it took a lot for one to openly invite another into one's mind.

"Have you heard from Regulus lately?" Rachel asked this a bit more coyly than the other questions.

"Not for a week. Have you?" Hazel shrugged.

"Has he chosen yet?" Rachel had been his friend too even if it was mostly due to the common friend in Hazel herself.

"Course." Hazel confirmed. She never said that the choice was to stick however.

Rachel nodded, processing this information. She was a bit more passionate on this subject. She had kept out of the war, the same as Hazel, but Hazel knew that trials she attended made her give a serious leaning towards the side of the angels.

"Don't go off at him," Hazel warned. "A decision to leave needs to come from him, not us."

"And if his decision comes to late? If he takes the dark mark and is killed before he can decide to quit."

Hazel sent daggers to her. "I'm not going to let that happen."

And she wouldn't despite the fact that Rachel didn't look convinced.

"Hazel, I get what you're doing, but you haven't seen the prisoners I've seen and tried to interview. They're as radical as they come and those are just the ones who aren't brave enough to end it before they get to the courtrooms. Besides, from what I hear from the scared prisoners who shit themselves as soon as they're put to the seat, the Dark Mark is a lifetime thing. His entire family is expecting him to take it and the crazy bastard himself probably does to. He's not going to let that go."

"That's coming from prisons who soil themselves," Hazel rolled her eyes. Did Rachel truly think that Hazel hadn't thought of this?

"Hazel," Rachel warned. "He cares more about you than he does me. He'll listen to you."

"Regulus loves his family; he doesn't want them disappointed again like they were with Sirius. Us arguing with him won't change that. If he does join though, he won't stay. If he defects then he knows that the majority of his family is going to abandon him, and they will.

"He cares for them, but are you so sure that he loves them?" Rachel asked eying her closely.

Hazel scoffed. "Love? I certainly hope not."

Rachel paused for a moment, seemingly mulling it over.

"Out of curiosity, because I don't think it's actually ever come up, what's your opinion?" That caused Rachel to receive a rare look of surprise from her.

"Why do you ask?"

"Your response was weird."

"So is love." Hazel smiled coyly.

Rachel didn't return the smile, as she appeared to want an actual answer. She also didn't push the issue either however. Rachel was good at that, seeing when she was going to get nowhere as well recognizing that she would get no where with Hazel avoiding her real answer.

"Did you here that Audrey Abbington…"

Back to gossip between the two of them.

* * *

Hazel apparated the address on the letter that she had received for her job. She was in suburbia with neatly managed lawns and similar houses lined up. It must have been a muggle village, as wizard suburbs were usually a bit… colourful in terms of appearance, houses rarely looking similar. Perhaps the lady was a squib.

"Who shall I be today?" Hazel inquired, stretching with a yawn. She quickly searched the area for any muggles in sight with a quick mental sweep (a neat little trick hat Horace Slughorn had taught her when he learned about her legilimency for he liked it when students learned new abilities) and nearly froze.

'Merlin no, not today', Hazel grimaced. There were about four minds near and unfortunately three familiar. One other seemed like a muggle, undoubtedly being brought near by the other three so that she couldn't just apparate away without doing magic in front of them. Turning around, she was met with the banes of her existence.

"The muggle is a nice touch." Hazel called out, completely and utterly annoyed, but pulling off a cool persona.

"Miss Potter," A gruff voice sounded and Madeye Moody, the famous auror with a vendetta against her, was at the center of her three twats. On the other side was the new Alice Longbottom and (low and behold) Sirius Black, the guy that her parents had always insisted 'was really like her brother'. "I need you to come with us."  
Her security guards were sent by Dumbledore to check on her and make sure she wasn't cavorting with the 'wrong' sort. She wondered what cause they were going to use that time to take her into the auror offices, they were getting creative; last time it had been for a mysterious substance in a vial found in her apartment. That vial had been a tube and the substance had been lipstick.

They had stopped trying to be legit she was pretty sure around the third time. That time had been the first time they had set up a false job for her.

It had been in September last year or there about and Hazel was just beginning to get her cliental number up, although she had still had to work shifts at 'The Poisoned Apple', a pub near where she lived. That crew had still had people with actual experience in stealth. Madeye had still been at the head but they also had Tiberius Laughlin (who had taken down an entire clan of vampires by himself without a wand) and Ophelia Fenn, the giantsbane herself. They had used the solid idea of illegal legilimency. They however were proved wrong when they realized she had actually had a permit to work and nothing was falsely advertised. Still, they had legitimate cause to take her in; stars all of them.

No doubt they actually had important things given to them to do.

Hazel didn't understand how these 'checks' served any purpose. She knew that they were aware that she had turned down Voldemort with just as much honesty as when she turned down Dumbledore and yet they were still bringing her in and giving her a speech about doing the right thing. Did they really think that long laments would be what she used as 'her cause', her reason to fight, and her motivation?

They knew nothing about her then.

Did they think that she was as foolish to join when she was so heavily screened as well?

They did this fiasco to add some legality to dragging her places although they really only wanted to search her wand history for the summoning of the dark mark and then her arm for the same thing. They did realize that there were actual known dark witches and wizards out there with actual goings on. Hazel thought they were being ridiculous but never complained. She was hardly going to give them the satisfaction of allowing them to see her flame out on them.

Looking past her guards, she saw the muggle they had led with them walk past, a tall gangly man without much hair and just as little teeth. He was soon out of sight and out of the problem.

"What reasonable cause have you three come up with now?" Hazel actually wanted to know, they were endlessly amusing.

"You're going to love this," Sirius smirked, leaning handsomely against the side of a fence before looking at his nails while twirling his wand. Hazel knew that Alice and Sirius didn't really take it seriously; they usually left after her arm was checked.

'Maybe I should cast a fake one time and see what happens. Just for shits and giggles,' Hazel thought to herself.

"Leads about the stolen bracelet of a Goblin family in France have led us to you."

Thinking back to Reg's bracelet, Hazel's ears perked up, did they actually have a reason she wondered? Still, her hope of something interesting happening couldn't make her turn foolish.

"Let me guess, it was seen in England and I was somewhere in the vicinity when this happened?" Hazel cocked an eyebrow, crossing her arms. "You don't care about the woes of goblins."

"Miss Potter we have done this a dozen times," Mad-eye held out his arm, oddly chivalrous, and grunted with contempt. "The quicker we do this, the quicker we can finish."

"I'm surprised at you. Have I just been imagining this war? I would have thought you big tough aurors would have important work to do. Even these two trainees surely could do something useful," Hazel teased as she nonetheless walked to them. It wasn't as if she had anything to do that afternoon.

She took Mad Eye's arm and as an offhand comment before she felt the familiar twist of apparition. "You three are paying for my time you know, that's going to be 20 galleons."

* * *

Two hours later, Hazel had apparently checked out for the dozenth time. To her surprise and chagrin however, Sirius Black too decided to stay behind. Hadn't he had enough of her from the time they were forced to share the same toilet?

Unfortunately, Hazel had a hunch as to what this was about.

As she walked out of the head auror office and said hello to Bill Boozler, a secretary for one for one of the aurors who she had become acquainted with on her visits, Sirius was following her. At least she was 20 galleons richer however and that meant she would have Mrs. Fitz off of her case for another month.

"Are we to sneak away into an old closet Sirius? That will get people talking faster than if you just follow me."

"Yep." Sirius didn't see Hazel's eyes widen in surprise as, just as they were about out into the elevators, she was pulled by the wrist into cleaning closet.

"I find it baffling how you took that seriously. A closet? How cliché can you get?" Hazel shook her head. At least the closet was rather large and they weren't nose to nose.

"You haven't RSVP yet." Certainly to the point he was. For that, Hazel almost thanked him.

 _Almost._

"Isn't it rather obvious?"

"Stop being ridiculous?"  
"I'm being honest. Why would I go?" Hazel hissed. "And you are hardly one to tell someone to stop being ridiculous.

"It's your brothers wedding, you're going." Sirius did find amusement in her jibe and was dead serious (no pun intended).

"You're on good terms with your brother then?"

"I'm not here because I particularly want to enjoy your company for the night, but James wants you there. He sent the invitation with his own owl, wouldn't let the wedding service do it for him."

"I'm touched the effort." Sarcasm.

"Your parents just died, you can't let your petty grudge go on now can you?"

Sirius had just made her blood become poison.

"Was that our parents that just died?" Hazel feigned innocence. "That's odd, I don't recall seeing him at the funeral."

Sirius glared at her. "He caught who did it by the way no thanks to you. He went to hunt them down as soon as he heard. That's the only reason he wasn't there."

"Did thrashing his wand around and saying words loudly at the big bad meanies make him feel better?" Sirius looked as if he were about to slap her.

"At least he did something, did _your_ parents honor bravely."

"It's a sweet speech Black, but I don't see the point in doing honor and being brave for people who are dead."

"You bloody bitch," Sirius shook his head but hardly in disbelief. It wasn't as if these were new sentiments for him. Hazel knew that for a fact.

"Where were you?" Hazel inquired. "Did you do them honor too?"

"I was with James if that's what you mean."

Sirius started to say something else but Hazel interrupted him. He was such a hot head that if she hadn't, he might have said something that he would regret.

"My brother's wedding invitation boo boo isn't the only reason you're here. Regulus is fine by the way, doing well." Sirius' eyes softened if ever so slightly.

"Has he…?" Sirius couldn't even bring himself to say it.

"Joined Voldemort?" Sirius didn't flinch, Hazel imagined the name was mentioned often at those Order meetings. "No, he hasn't." Sirius' shoulders slackened from their previously highly tense position. Sirius nodded more than himself than to her.

As much as she hated to admit it, she admired the fact that Sirius still cared. It was sweet. She wasn't about to tell him what Regulus was thinking about doing in June however. If she did that then she was in wayward territory where she couldn't predict the next move. He would ruin it somehow. He and Hazel might not have a great care for one another but Sirius was nothing if not a loyal fellow. If anything, the fact that he had aimed to ask her about Regulus showed that it was still strong for his little brother.

He didn't need to worry though, Hazel wasn't going to let anything happen to him.

"Take care of him," Sirius sighed.

"He's my friend, of course I will." Sirius heard ice in those words, but Hazel had meant it warmly.

The two of them were silent for a minute longer. Sirius seemed to be thinking and wanting to ask something. Hazel didn't leave because there were too many people outside. She hadn't meant it when she asked if he wanted to start rumors.

As Hazel peered out of the curiously large key hole of the closet's door, Sirius had changed his demeanor and was leaning against some shelves of mops.

"Dumbledore is sending you an owl tonight with another offer to join the Order. I think you should take it."

"Don't' strain yourself now."  
"Hazel I'm telling you this because of your brother and your parents."

Hazel sighed and turned back to him.

"I know why you're doing it. You can tell Dumbledore to save his owl's strength, there's no point. You can tell him to stop sending your little posse as well. How hard is it to understand that I am staying out of this? I'm not choosing a side." Hazel replied.

"This is war! Even the ice queen can take things personally. You don't think the deatheaters are going to make it personal?"

"Like you are trying to make it personal? Personal enough to join the side of the angels." Hazel felt her own temper rising. 'The ice queen' could melt.

"Good people don't get slaughtered on our side." A bold statement for him.

"Good people like my parents?" I shot back and knew I had won. Sirius looked away. "Seems to me your dead number is rising more than the other side."

"Good and evil is so boring Black, you might want to try a different tactic."

"How is that not a good enough reason?" Sirius was getting angry again, it was time for Hazel to leave. Their encounter was getting tedious. The lobby outside the elevators had quieted down, Hazel assuming that the space was now much clearer.

"You know nothing."

Hazel opened the door and was about to leave when Sirius spoke again.

"I will toss you over my shoulder and drag you to that wedding if I have to. I'm not going to let you do this to him. He _wants_ you there Hazel, does that count for nothing?" He sounded stern and threatening, Hazel having no doubt that he meant it.

"If he really wanted me there then he would have come and talked to me himself."

* * *

Hazel returned home after that to explode the letter that Dumbledore had sent her. She wasn't taking either side. They didn't have a choice in that.

Hazel walked over to where she had the invitation to James' wedding on her desk.

She had read it and re-read it over and over in the past weeks. The wedding was in five months now, at the end of May.

She sat down and actually seriously considered whether or not she was going. She had simply told Sirius those things because she didn't like the idea of him thinking that he had to race after she and her brother.

She knew that if she were to go, she would be confined to a minimum of a couple of hours before she could get away. There she would probably not know anyone and those she did know probably would have heard more about her then know more about her.

The entire prospect seemed terrible.

There was nagging at the back of her mind though. A nagging which had been there for a while.

Unsure of what to do, Hazel glanced down at her second draw again and drew out the familiar content.

Unlocking the box, she pulled one of the things out and stared at it. She had to pull open a special compartment in the side of the box in order to get it. It was one of the oldest things in it but one of the things Hazel pulled out most.

It took about a minute for Hazel to finally go through her normal motions of slamming it back into its confines and hiding the entire box away again.

Merlin, she was predictable.

If James himself asked her go, then yes, she would go.

* * *

 **A/N: I know it's slow now, but it'll pick up soon I promise. Feedback is appreciated, thanks for reading.**


	4. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer: Not my world.**

* * *

Chapter 3: Questionable Acquaintances

February 20th, 1979

A sickly sweet smell filled Hazel's apartment despite her window being open. She had set up her cauldron from school and had her "Advanced Potion Making" open on the floor. She had moonstone, ground porcupine quills and syrup of hellebore, as well as ground unicorn horn laid out in front of her.

Her concoction was the draught of peace potion. She hadn't been sleeping well lately. The smell of her potion however was giving her a headache and was threatening to make her go to sleep. She was only at the point of the second simmering to purple however and she had been working for the past couple of hours. She had a while to go yet.

There had been no word from James or the three bloody prats, the month having been very quiet since that day in January. She had heard from Regulus a couple of days ago. Noticeably, he hadn't written about anything that they had talked about when they last met, preferring to go on about Hogwarts and asking her how she was. Considering that was all he had been writing to her about for a while, she didn't know whether or not to be concerned.

Apparently he was worried about his exams already and professor Slughorn missed her (Hazel found it flattering). He told her about a book he had found in the restricted section that had a spirit trapped inside and whenever one opened it, it let out a loud, desperate cry for freedom. Kind of sad really. She did however find her news update on the lake's mermaids interesting though as well as satisfying.

When she had left, the mermaids were in the middle of a great civil war in order to determine who was to become queen of their lake's matriarchal society. The Slytherin common room had been a great viewing gallery for the drama and she and Reg had spent many days trying to decipher the Mermish language (which Regulus had actually suceeded at) in order to know what was going on. They had come to the conclusion just before they left Hogwarts that mermaids were not very good at stragedy, as they seemed to prefer open combat that likened to a cavalry charge. Guerilla style was a bit smarter for their circumstances in their opinion.

Apparently their bet had come to fruition and the mermaid with two scars, that looked like hooks, on her back had been crowned.

Hazel wrote back and told him everything, as she always did. She had told him about her encounter with Sirius and told him that Sirius wanted to know about him, but she had never really gotten a reply from him. This time, she asked him right out what he thought about it. Hazel knew he wouldn't avoid answering if she actually asked him straight out.

Hazel wrote a letter to Professor Slughorn as well (albeit a shorter one) after she had finished Regulus'. She hadn't spoken to him in a while anyway.

Hazel added the shaken porcupine needle grounds and stirred it seven times clockwise, seven times counter-clockwise before leaving it to simmer again. She looked up at her animal companions.

Her little bird, the black and white, sat comfortably in its little next, staring ahead as it did most of the time. Mitzy was lounging in the sun from the window. Fat and old and prissy that cat was.

"Oi! That smell is giving me a headache!" Hazel sighed when her neighbor, a wizard about her age who was tall, gangly, and annoying, butted his opinion into her matters as he liked to do at times.

"Deal with it Gideon!" Hazel shouted back, giving the shared wall they had a thump. Paper thin walls with now magical protection. Pathetic, and it wasn't as if Mrs. Fitz would allow any tampering with her 'precious property'.

She really missed home sometimes.

At least she had something to look forward to though that day.

* * *

 _Hazel,_

 _Meet me at the Scamander Inn at Brighton at noon._

 _Doran_

* * *

That was the note that Hazel had received that morning via her little bird, the source of contact between the two. It seemed that Doran was back in England and Hazel was curious as to whether or not he had gotten that basilisk venom.

Thus, Hazel waited at the bar of the Inn by the seaside, as questionable a place to be as where she and Doran had first met. It was named for the author of "Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them", and Hazel believed that Newton Scamander would be glad to see the fantastic beasts that were present.

Most of the pub-goers looked like they had been in prison, had lots of tattoos and scars. There had been four fights in the time that Hazel had been there and she had only been there for about 15 minutes.

There was one man in particular who seemed eager for some action. He was big and round with numerous scars all over his belly, seen by the fact that he didn't wear a shirt. Hazel couldn't help but wonder if he was cold. It was the dead of winter and freezing outside. If he was he didn't let on. He was maybe in his late-twenties, was bald and had tanned skin and a great big laugh that echoed throughout the room.

Hazel had the urge to go talk to him, he seemed like he would have been fun to go out with maybe once.

She had her comb back in her hair but didn't wear anything else of particular value. She merely wore a green jumper and black pants and boots with a plain, but high quality, black robe; a bit more conspicuous than her plum and dragon hide robes.

"A vision, truly." Hazel smiled softly, but quickly dismissed it before turning to her side to meet her traveler. Doran was a bit more clothed this time, having a shirt on. He still wore his dragon hide coat on however.

"In comparison to our company here, I suppose so." Hazel whispered as he took a seat next to her. "The same goes to you."

"Why do I think I choose places like this?" Doran winked at her and glanced at their company. Not a very attractive lot.

"They're interesting though," Hazel replied, looking back to the large round man with scars. He was in a card game now with several others.

"Ay, they are." Doran nodded. He knocked on the bar and ordered drinks. "That is a beautiful comb you have. A gift from someone special?" He went to touch her heirloom, but she moved away before he could

"It is special to you I deduce," Doran did not seem put off.

"It was my mothers." Hazel informed him, pushing the silver piece further down into her hair.

"Ah," Doran nodded. "My own mother had one similar as well. I recall hers having many secrets however." He still glanced at the piece.

"There can hardly be secrets if too many people know about them." Hazel challenged.

"Fair point," He nodded and finally seemed to focus on something else. "How are you?"

"Cold," Hazel replied bluntly, turning back around with her back now to the crowd.

"You should have come with me to the south. I was in Corsica. Beautiful weather, beautiful food, beautiful girls," Doran smirked cheekily.

"There are some holes in your letters then. You merely told me about the company that you didn't enjoy."

"A pain I had to endure.  
"With good reason?"

The side of his mouth flicked up into a persuasive half smile. "I wouldn't be back here if it hadn't."

Hazel was impressed.

"I'll hardly believe you unless if you show me."

The two quietened down because their drinks had arrived. They watched the bartender leave before continuing.

"I wouldn't have asked you here unless I had something to show off my amour." Doran purred.

With a quick glance around, he pulled Hazel's chair closer to him with a quick but strong tug and leaned in. Looking down, Hazel saw that he had reached into his pocket and pulled out a small vial with a violently red liquid in it.

"So tell me 'my amour'," Hazel rolled her eyes when she repeated his words. "Why such the trouble for this?"

"Because this is some of the only venom left in the world. The beast so unique died over a century ago and they're not likely to find another one." Doran replied, looking down at his loot admiringly.

"How are you so sure that this what you think it is?" Hazel asked. She hadn't even heard of the type of basilisk to make the venom.

"This is only most of the stock that this group held," Doran replied mysteriously. Hazel was a bit taken a back inwardly.

"I thought you said that this was only for the most passionate of loves?" Hazel asked, wondering if it had been him to have used it.

"I still hold that to be true," he conceded. "The one whose hands held this before me had used it and I witnessed the effects. The women must have envisioned that death a hundred times before she did it." He said this almost dreamily and jealous-like.

"And what happened to the previous hands?" Doran couldn't have been just given it.

"They got cut off," Doran smirked.

Hazel didn't know why, but that statement made her chuckle.

"They sounded like the like a certain group here in glorious England," Hazel continued.

Doran nodded. "I'm not so sure they aren't part of the same cause."

Hazel glanced at him for a moment and went into his unknowing mind. She needed to see this for herself.

Ay, there had been beautiful weather, food and people, but Hazel had been more interested in the group he was referring to. Big huge meetings and a village exploding, it seemed Doran got up to quite a lot with that group. All for one little vial.

It was a quick visit and Hazel was out in less than a second. It still caused Doran to seemingly black out ever so slightly however, the man nearly losing his balance in his chair.

"Are you alright?" Hazel asked innocently.

Doran took another moment to come to, but he looked at her and nodded.

"I suppose I'm still weary from travel," Doran didn't look convinced at that himself however.

Hazel nodded silently cursed herself. Usually she was a bit more discreet than that. Apparently it always gave the somewhat uncomfortable feeling, like when you know someone is staring at you but you can't see who. Hazel hadn't made anyone feel faint however since Slughorn had began to help her refine her abilities. She had learned from a book she found in the restricted section of the library in her fourth year, but until someone actually gave her guidance, she had been as sloppy as that anytime she tried.

Hazel had been Slughorn's favorite in her year. He also liked Lily Evans if Hazel remembered correctly, her future sister-i-law. The two of them had been in his 'Slug Club', a group of students that were apparently the best in their year, but really had been whoever had peaked Slughorn's interest. Hazel had been bored with classes and had really only put in work in order to pass the classes. She had done very well on her O.W.L.S nonetheless however but it certainly wasn't because of her professors. Most of the things she learned were done on her own time.

Slughorn had actually appreciated her boredom and tried to interest her in other things. He had known about her little bird and legilimency, and had also sought her to pursue an animagus. That unfortunately never came to fruition.

'Maybe one day', Hazel reflected.

"What are you doing to do with it?" Hazel asked, referring back to the vial.

"I don't know," Doran replied, gazing at his prize. "I could sell it and make a fortune. It seems such a waste for mere money though."

"Money makes the world go round," Hazel challenged.

"It is spent so easily though and can be given for anything. This however, this something that is unique."

"Is there any down side to having it," Hazel asked sarcastically. The way he spoke about it as if it were the 'be all end all' amused her.

"There is a downside to every up," Doran mused. "You don't think that the people I took this from are going to look for it?"

"I would have thought you'd have made sure that wasn't a problem."

"There are limits to even my abilities my amour."

Hazel and Doran had stayed at the pub for several more hours before going their different ways.

He had told her about the time he travelled to Siberia and had to fight off a pack of possessed rabid wolves with his bare hands because his wand had been taken by their possessor, a man who had grown up feral.

Hazel wasn't sure as to whether or not she believed the story, but it was a good story nonetheless. Hazel also liked the story about he had gone to South America and feasted with ghosts at Macchu Picchu. Apparently they were riots.

They had parted ways with the promise to see one another soon, Doran giving her a big hug in doing so.

Hazel, once she had bid her farewell, had apparated to Knockturn Alley. She had someone to meet once again.

* * *

It wasn't just her black and white that acted as her little bird.

Still, when she whistled her melodic tune, they two came flying.

Her black and white shot from the sky and swooped down to her, landing on her shoulder. Within seconds, its clone came sweeping down the street, quietly and slyly before rejoining the original. The two birds merged together, the feathered bodies twisting and bending together, and soon appeared as one bird once again.

"Miss Potter," the fellow that Hazel's eyes met with had followed the bird. The man was homeless and middle aged with greasy grey hair and a beard that hung long and un-kept. He had old patched clothes on that were thready and patchy. This particular man however wore the new shoes that Hazel had bought him the last time he told her what she needed to know.

He was one of twenty of her birds. Paying them for what she wanted to know was the main source of extravagance that spent up any wage she had, the clothing and food the other parts. They gave her information and she gave them money as well as something to do with their time.

She could still have saved well however if she did not have her birds, but in the end knowledge was more precious than gold. Besides, she cared for her birds. She had a soft spot in her heart for lost things and they were in that group. They were too lost to be seen by any body and could travel where they needed to unnoticed. They didn't make a fuss and no one cared about their surroundings enough to notice those lurking in the shadows. There were some places that Hazel would never be able to go but they would.

She sent duplicates of her bird out to them and they would lead them to her again. She sent them once a week to her regulars and once a month to those that she saw occasionally. She met with them personally because she needed trust between herself and her network. It was fast pace in the speed of information given, even if it was by sometimes questionable means.

It was their business however to decide how to get the information, not hers.

To be honest, Hazel believed that her 20 strong network actually enjoyed the work she gave them. Their curiosities and strong and they too got to keep this information. That information had got them out prison time and out of fines with the ministry. Abraxas might have threatened a pay cut in order to get out of prison time, but her network got out of everything without paying a cent.

That was true power.

Hazel was surprised that the ministry hadn't thought about using them in order to get the information they wanted instead of sending fiery aurors into their spy missions.

"Hello Rutherford," Hazel greeted with a warm smile.

He nodded to her, his grey eyes twinkling with excitement.

"Come, sit with me." Hazel led him to an antique furniture shop that had chairs out for advertisement at its storefront. Chairs were for sitting weren't they? It wasn't very secret, but she knew that as soon as they went looking for a hiding place where only they were allowed, that's when people would begin to take notice. People where like that. If they're allowed in then it was nothing special, as soon as someone kept then out then it was all important that they knew what was going on.

"How have you been?" Hazel asked politely.

"I've been okay," Rutherford nodded.

"You look cold," Hazel commented. If what he told her was good enough then she had only a galleon left in her pocket from her last job and it was his perhaps. Rachel wouldn't mind her bunkering down at her place for a while.

"I don't mind," Rutherford shook his head but still shivered. "I have something to tell you though."

"By all means," Hazel kept a softened expression on her face, but her mind was hardened and focused on what he was about to say.

"It's about Abraxas Malfoy."

"What about him?" Hazel elevated an eyebrow. His entire trial had apparently only been on felony tax evasion that he conveniently paid his way out of.

"Have you heard about his trial?"

"Of course."

"The entire thing was phony," Rutherford spoke in a hushed whisper and Hazel leaned in, intrigued now. She had been let down by the fact that the trial had been so trivial, but now it all of a sudden had gotten a bit more noteworthy.

"All trials are phony where the accused can pay their way out," Hazel tested, as she waited for Rutherford to tell her what he had found out.

Rutherford laughed in manical way, but settled down quickly. "Very true Miss. Potter."

"That isn't what you mean though is it?" She knew it wasn't.

Rutherford shook his head vigorously with a outlandish smile on his face. This was going to be good.

"The ministry had originally charged him with something else." Rutherford was barely audible now, whispering in Hazel's ear. He spat with his words occasionally and his breath was rancid, but Hazel kept her composure. What he had to say was more important.

Rutherford just erupted into a mad giggle however.

"What is it Rutherford?" Hazel asked patiently. Getting frustrated at him wouldn't help.

"He…" Enough fit of giggles.

"He what?"

"He was on trial for smuggling."

'That's it?' Hazel thought. It depended on what was smuggled, but it was still a bit of a let down.

"What was it he was carrying?"

"Giants," Giggles again but this made Hazel excited too.

"How?" Hazel asked, letting excitement show.

"And dragons. And people."

"Who?" Hazel continued her one worded questions.

"Some of you-know-who's supporters from the east," Rutherford replied. "Funded them all."

"Where's he keeping these… items?"

"At that big ol' house of his," Rutherford replied. "He's gone and put every defensive spell around the place."

"Why didn't the ministry try him for that?" Hazel inquired, just as quiet as her companion was. They didn't need anyone hearing the.

"Because the son of a certain someone was one of the found to be in the group he brought back."

"Whose?"

"Barty Crouch's boy. The boy got off, but he's being put under lock and key by his father now."

This was too good.

"Where did you hear this?" Hazel asked. She needed to make sure this was credible before she got too excited.

"A house elf on shopping rounds for the Malfoy family, little fella just needed someone to talk to." Rutherford laughed.

"Surely they would have sworn the elves to secrecy," Hazel would be astonished if they didn't.

"Rules have ways around them."

"Ooooo, wait till you here this," Rutherford continued with a snicker. "The whole bunch of them are planning a raid."

"When and where?"

"The auror office tonight."

* * *

"Potter," Mrs. Fitz scathed as the two passed one another in the hall of the entrance to the apartment building.

"Fitz," Hazel glowered. She was tired and not in the mood to get into a fight. She had just been told that Ministry of Magic was going to be attacked that night and if anyone found out she knew about then she was going to be arrested. Prison didn't suit her but interrogations about how she knew that information didn't either. She was brought in constantly by Moody constantly but those had always consisted of an arm check, a wand check, and a maybe a catch up question or two between her and Bill Boozler on how they were going. It wasn't a who knows how long session of questions with people who actually thought that she was up or caught into something. If she did that, then the annoying check ups would become daily almost and Hazel knew that she wouldn't be able to deal with that. She would eventually do something stupid and get arrested anyway.

All that seemed to amount to her ending up on one side or the other which was very inconvenient as she had already sworn off both sides.

Still, she had concern about not telling them despite the consequences. The sun was barely setting by that time however, there was no chance that any one would attack while the sun was still up.

Hazel wondered what they wanted though. If it was just for terror then they would do it in broad daylight, not wait until nighttime when the majority have gone home (with the exception of a few dedicated or unlucky stragglers).

Perhaps they wanted auror records. From what Rutherford had told her, they seemed to be getting sloppier.

Then again, that was Hazel. She saw more point in using a network of nobodies to get what she wanted rather than a network of somebodies who would draw to much attention though.

She wasn't them though. She just kept this information for back up for any situation. Maybe she just liked knowing something about everybody. Saved a lot of stress and disappointment.

Lost in her thoughts, she had almost forgotten about her landlady.

"What do you think you're doing having aurors stalk around in my apartment!" Mrs. Fitz was furious but Hazel just grimaced.

"Oh, they're back are they?" They couldn't be surely.

"Back! They've snooped around my property before? They're snooping around _your_ apartment and I want them out!" Hazel's eyes widened in surprise at this information and panicked inside as she sprinted up to her room. It couldn't be a coincidence abut her learning bout the attack just half an hour ago and them showing up.

"What in Merlin's name do you think you're doing!" Hazel spat out when she reached her apartment. Madeye was there but he didn't have trainees this time. This time actually had fully qualified aurors with him.

Madeye looked at her with contempt. He was holding Mitzy by the scruff of the neck, looking like he had just picked her up from the bed she was now hovering over.

"Put her down!" Hazel demanded, not taking well to someone treating her cat like that. Her little bird was not present thankfully, seemingly not back from when Hazel let it go after Knockturn Alley.

"You're not in the position to make demands Potter," Madeye growled. He seemed furious, not just the impatience he usually displayed when checking on her.

This wasn't a check up.

"I believe I can demand to know why you're here!" Hazel's façade was gone and now she was just angry (and a little bit nervous if honest). She had paid Rutherford, he wouldn't have a grudge against her to tell anyone that she knew about the raid that was going to happen.

Hazel didn't believe that though. He told her things for money and she was sure Rutherford would tell anyone who wanted to know about her if they had a bigger pocket. He was very good at spying on people for money.

"Can you identify this?" One of the aurors behind Madeye, Griffith Hazel believed his name was, pulled out something small from his pocket.

Hazel's hand immediately went to the back of her head when she saw him pull out her mother's comb. Searching around, her eyes widened as she found nothing.

"How did you get that?" Hazel hadn't even noticed that it was missing. The three aurors looked at one another and nodded.

"Hazel Potter, you are under arrest for suspicion of aiding Lord Voldemort against the statute of wizarding law."

Hazel looked at them dumbstruck. "You people cannot take a hint. I don't choose sides!"

* * *

Hazel was made to wait in a small room that was locked with two guards at the door. Her wand had been forcibly taken from her and anything else on her person that wasn't clothing (not including her robe). She had a binding curse around her hands that were stuck behind her. She had been waiting for an hour.

She had however found out why she was there and she was livid. No, more than livid! If she ever saw that son of a bitch again she was going to strangle the life out of the bastard.

Doran… fucking Doran. It had to have been him, her unfortunate acquaintance. For, from what she found out by the minds of the aurors who had arrested her, her comb had been turned in as missing by someone who 'just happened to find it' on the street. Some one accidentally pricked themselves with one sharp edge and was now in St. Mungo's fighting for their life.

Was it bad that Hazel wanted to meet the man who was near death? Perhaps he was her soul mate. That was a poison to be given between soul mates, the bastard had been right on that. Love was vicious, so was that. Yet somehow she had managed to get stuck with some guy at the front desk who was stupid enough to touch something sharp.

'My one true love', Hazel sneered. Just her luck.

Rare basilisk venom it was discovered to be; rare basilisk venom that had recently been stolen six months ago from the vaults of the ministry of Magic itself by known supporters of You-Know-Who who had fled before any lead could be put on them.

If Doran had known about this, Hazel wondered how she hadn't seen it when she had entered his mind. She should have seen it, she should have seen everything.

She had been sloppy going into it, but that couldn't have messed her up to much.

Why hadn't she seen this coming?

Hazel couldn't wrap her head around it, she never made mistakes like that. And she certainly never let someone take something off of her person without her knowing about it. Had he done it when he had hugged her? Or had it been earlier.

'Such as stupid mistake,' Hazel rubbed the bridge of her nose. She needed sleep.

Was that why? Simple tiredness?

'Merlin I just got played so badly.'

No matter what the cause was though, Hazel needed to get out of there. The clock was ticking and Hazel was still angry with herself and with the aurors for her getting arrested, meaning that she wouldn't tell them about the attack unless she absolutely had to. She would however if that meant it kept her from being in the crossfire that was about to happen.

'Maybe it's already happening,' she questioned herself. 'Maybe it's already happening and I'll be able to just waltz out of this without a single question being asked. The dead don't talk, they're good like that.'

Hazel could use the Barty Crouch Jr. cover up as a way to 'pay' her way out per say. They knew how quickly she could get it onto the front page of new stories by just giving it to Rachel. Or she could use the laundering that the Minister's cabinet was performing to fill their own pockets. That was a good one, another little bird had whispered that to her a couple of months ago but Hazel was sure that it was still very relevant.

She could get out quickly and then point out their stupidity and claiming suspicion on her at a later date. Everyone wins (well, she would at least).

This was why she kept her own little birds. Her great invention in her black and white bird had been reduced to an owl, but had given way to her greater invention.

Hazel was deep in thought when the door behind her finally opened again. She caught the sound however and allowed herself to be taken from her thoughts. She was pretty sure that her plan was sound and hopefully efficient enough for her to haul arse out of there as soon as possible.

The auror who had entered didn't say a word and seemed to be waiting for her to turn around. Seemed to be quite the drama queen. Hazel took pleasure however in the fact that he would have to walk and face her. She wouldn't face him.

Confident, could almost feel the open mind. At least she could figure out who she was facing.

Hazel began to stare into space as her own mind fleetingly left, but all to quickly she was brought back to reality and a knot formed in her throat.

Hazel still waited for the new occupant of the room to face her, not the other way around, but she didn't take nearly as much pride as she would have before when they finally took the seat right in front of her across from the desk she was sitting at.

"What in Merlin's name did you do?" James bloody Potter asked accusingly.

* * *

 **A/N: Feedback and reviews are very appreciated. Thanks for reading. Next update coming soon.**


	5. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer: All JK Rowling**

* * *

Chapter 4: No Kumbaya After All

Hazel stared at her twin from her seat across from him. He was waiting for answer to what she had done. Unfortunately he would most likely be disappointed considering she hadn't done anything.

As children, it had always been very obvious that the two of them were twins. They had been the same height, same scrawny build, same hair, same skin tone; now however they only looked vaguely similar.

James was taller than her by a few inches now and his skin had more colour than hers did. His hair was cropped short but was still kept in the mess it had always been. His glasses were the same but now the frames fit better on his adult face, whereas when he had been a child, they had always looked too big. His face was a bit thinner than her own, looking more like their father had done. He wore auror robes with a black armband to denote his trainee status. He did look tired though.

All in all though, he looked well.

Hazel actually felt a twinge of contentment over this.

This hadn't exactly been what Hazel was expecting however, not by a long way. She had been expecting Madeye eager to finally actually find out there had been good cause for the check-ups. Yet they send in _him_.

Clever on their part really.

'Maybe he's only he to invite me personally to that wedding of his,' Hazel thought to herself cynically.

Hazel thought back the attack that could happen in only moments and formulated a new plan. Her brother dearest wouldn't take her ministry scandal threats.

He was only a trainee; he was probably only there to get her ready for the actual interrogator. Pull a few heartstrings maybe in memory of their lost childhood that she had been so fond of?

In private, fine (if inconvenient), but sentiment in the face of others was a sign of weakness and way to evoke some sort of pity in those who had beat you. Sentiment was a plea for mercy.

She had lived in that banshee's apartment out of sheer pride and spite. Those same feelings weren't about to soften her guard from sentiment.

"My goodness," Hazel leaned back in her chair as far as she could. "We haven't seen one another for the better part of a year and that's what you decided to open with." Her arrested and bound to chair with her wand taken away while he came in to question her without a single 'how are you?'.

To be honest, this was tamer than how she had thought it would go when the two did eventually see one another. Somehow she had always imagined a giant duel that would rival that between Grindelwald and Dumbledore back in the 40's.

Hazel was somewhat disappointed by that.

"That wasn't my doing," James was calm but still clearly was not happy with her.

"Not all of it no," Hazel nodded. "But missing your own parents funeral…" Hazel mockingly scolded him. "Even to a girl like me, that's cold."

"I know Sirius told you what I was doing," James rebounded with. "I'm sure they would have understood what I did more than you just arranging their funeral and letting bygones be bygones with them."

"What about mummy's birthday present, I did that as well," Hazel added, thinking back to October when she had been the one to go out a handle that responsibility as well. He had been busy again.

"Unlike you, I happen to have a job. I don't have all the time in the world anymore like you do," James glowered, obviously not happy at Hazel's insinuations.

"Aw, look at my little brother and his 'job' and all," Hazel babbled patronizingly. "Did you buy a nice big house as well with a yard and good schools?"

"That's rich coming from someone who lives in hell-hole you do."

"I never took you for the boring life."

"I wish it was." James lightened up when he said that with a scoff.

"Why? Boring is so final and nearly impossible to get out of."

"Is that how you see your life?"

"I get by just fine."

'Oh dear, is this not turning into the 'scolding Hazel and proving a point' mission he had thought it to be?' Hazel leered to herself.

James however changed his expression and looked at her with much more confidence.

"I sincerely doubt that."

"And why would that be?"

"You only have a job maybe once a month and are paid twenty galleons for that. You spend it on who knows what and live day by day. I'll take my 'boring' life any day."

Oh, he had no idea what she spent her money on and it wasn't his business.

Hazel's eyes narrowed and she sneered. "No you don't that's why you became an auror. As soon as someone tells you to settle down then you'll regret it."

This had no effect on him as he simply wiped it from it shoulder.

"Do you read the newspaper? There's nothing boring about what's happening nowadays." James adopted a steely expression again, much like the one he had walked into the room with. "Although it seems like you don't have to wait for a newspaper to tell you about the attacks."

Hazel's nose crinkled like she had caught whiff of a bad smell. 'Going there already huh?'

"You're right, I don't need the papers. I prefer the whispers of others." Hazel tried to act mysterious, although she wasn't sure whether it

"So you didn't have time to be loyal and chivalrous son huh? You do have the time to get married though," Hazel raised an eyebrow and grinned at him.

"I'll take that as a congratulations."

"You must despise me, you're trying so hard to undermine the things I say." Hazel was amused by it.

"I'm doing my job."

"Don't act like I'm just another person you aurors brought in. I'm not!"

"We're supposed to treat you all the same."

"You wouldn't have brought up another suspect parents. Making it personal? Not a good plan.

Hazel caught James' head flinching ever so slightly to the side, as if something or someone had just spoken into his ear.

'Verbal connection charm, so the others were listening huh?'

Hazel crossed her legs and sat up straighter. They were undoubtedly telling him to get back on topic. She didn't need to be legilimencer to figure that out. The fact that James didn't seem have even a fleeting expression of panic was a good sign that Rutherford's prediction hadn't come to pass just yet. She merely saw a slight twinge of embarrassment on his face for about a second.

He would really need to work on that if he wanted to be an auror.

"Where did you get the basilisk venom?"  
"A low-life twat that doesn't know who he's messing with," Hazel was honest.

'Did I see a hint of a grin on James' face?', Hazel observed smugly.

"What was the na-" Hazel interrupted him.

"Stop letting those listening feed you questions. If you are cut to be in this job, surely you can handle investigating one useless case by yourself." James was back to glaring now. "Surely you can figure me out. You were so confident that you had already done it by fifth year." If he wanted a glare off, she would give him one.

"And you didn't do the same?"

"I barely knew you."

Hazel was bitter.

"What a martyr you are." James was finding her spiel ridiculous. Good

"What was that you said about me? You couldn't trust me?" Hazel recalled perfectly. "Well then, maybe you can't."

James shook his head.

"Is this a game to you? Are you just trying to get me to leave this room? Lives are on the line Hazel!"

"That dear loyal dog of yours already tried that with me." Hazel's eyes twinkled as she referenced their little secret. If she wanted, she could get James and two of his friends arrested for being unregistered animagi.

"Our parents are de-"

"He tried that to!"

James' expression flattened out and any anger that Hazel had tried to build up was dissipated.

'Prick'.

"I'm staying out of this whole debacle."

"Yet here you are."

Hazel rolled her eyes. She needed to get back onto task.

"James, and whoever is listening, I presume that its' Madeye and maybe even Dumbledore as I'm sure you little lapdogs owled him about this, how daft do you have to be to believe that I'm a conspirator with Voldemort's followers?"

No flinch from James.

James leaned back and seemed to listen, just as Hazel was sure those outside were doing as well.

"I am checked on regular basis to make sure I'm not cavorting with the 'evil' side. Do you honestly believe I would take that risk and be that stupid. If you do then I am severely offended. Basilisk venom was found in our mother's comb was it? Am I the sort of person to just lose something like that. You're wasting both of our times right now."

"You could pull it off." James glowered.

James' head twitched to the side again and he didn't say anything for about a minute. He was probably being scolded for allowing Hazel to take control of the interview so easily. Intimidation wasn't present in the room and Madeye couldn't be happy about that.

"Tell me, do think I'm plotting against you?" Hazel asked, tired of silence. She was cool and calculated about her words.

"I believe in what I see and it doesn't look good for you from where I'm sitting." James continued to try and play the part of an auror.

"Your mind is so tunnel-visioned and straightforward. It always has been."

"Hazel!" James' voice was raised now. "How much do think this banter is going to help you? It's not just the evidence. Your reputation precedes you. I'm trying to help you!

"Did this reputation come from you? From your friends? From that little pack of Gryffindors that always pounced around together at school? How accurate do you think it considering I never really spent time with you lot?"

"Stop acting like you're this big mystery. We grew up together, I know you!"

"Do you?" Hazel feigned astonishment. "When was the last time we actually 'got to know one another. You don't think I've changed."

"From what I see you've stayed exactly the same."

"From what I've seen, so have you. Evans must have really lowered her standards to have finally gone out with you."

James seemed lost for words.

Lost a bit of backbone apparently, her brother did. He lost that his fifth year in her eyes.

"Do you think I'm a bad person?" No emotion once again and no reply either.

If that's what they wanted to think about her….

"You're weak James. Go home to that little wifey-to-be of yours and play her hero if you can't be one here.

"Don't patronize Lily like that," James' attention shot straight back to her and he rose from her chair to look down upon her.

"Potter!" The door to the room swung open and Madeye stood in the doorway. "I'll take over."

James glared at him and went red with either anger or embarrassment. Probably both.

Hazel still continued to stare at James with an unreadable expression. James looked down at her once again.

"You haven't changed a bit have you?"

"What did think I would be? Did you think that we were going to hug and makeup while singing Kumbaya? How many times did you think about that before this? Tough luck bro-bro, life doesn't work that way."

A pause.

"I don't think about you at all."

Cold and emotionless words, but they weren't hers.

A knot formed once again in her throat as Hazel lost her icy demeanor. James left his place without another word, leaving Hazel to mull his words over.

'Huh', was all that she could think.

Hazel vaguely heard the door close behind him and heard Madeye walk around to face her. Her mind was far away from her current situation.

"Are you ready to cooperate Miss Potter?" Madeye sat down gruffly.

Like her word would mean anything; 'her reputation preceded her'. But alright, if that's what they wanted her to be, she wouldn't disappoint.

"They're raiding the auror office tonight."

Before Madeye could say anything however, an explosion sounded, knocking out the wall behind Madeye to mere dust.

Hazel was catapulted to the back of the room from the force of it. Her chair smashed into pieces when it hit the wall. Hazel's head slammed against the floor when she fell and her vision was blurred when she finally came too.

There was such a loud ringing in her ears, she couldn't' get orientated.

She went in between vague lights with soft-edged blobs, to darkness a few times before it settled on the vague lights.

'Was that shouting?'

Will sloppy, rigid movements, Hazel tried to get up, but her hands were still bound by the blue chords of the special binding charm that made unbreakable chords that never dissipated once conjured. Then they would constrict and would again only get tighter the more the person struggled. It wasn't uncommon for those arrested to lost circulation in their hands because of these chords. To take them off you had to bind them to something else that was living under extreme force by wrapping it around the subject. That last bit was a fun little fact that not many people knew.

These were the sorts of the things that Hazel had set about learning while at school.

Her eyes still blurry, Hazel tried to make out her surroundings.

As soon as she lifted her head though, the ringing only got louder and her headache more severe.

Her head must've been bleeding somewhere, as by sitting up, the sticky, red, liquid had eased into her mouth, filling it with a metallic taste that nearly made her gag.

Movement wasn't a popular choice for her at that moment however, but it was her only choice.

Hazel crawled onto her knees and lent her arms back as far as she could until her feet could go through them. She now had her hands at her front at least.

Hazel felt with her now free hands for the wall and felt the cool metal of the door. The blast had come from Madeye's side of the room, so the door was her best bet for getting out without unwanted company appearing.

She felt up the door in her slow movements, trying to find the handle but winced and collapsed back down when she felt a sharp pain in her chest that felt like she was being stabbed. A rib or two were probably broken.

Meanwhile. The ringing was still prevalent but either it was getting softer or the screams and yelling were getting louder and/or nearer. She didn't want to find out however.

'James had better got-'

Hazel stopped herself and thought back to herself. She needed to get out of there somehow.

She needed her wand and cursed herself when she realized that it probably would be in Madeye's office. She hoped they were in his office, if they weren't then she was going to have a much harder time with everything.

"Alohomora," She murmured when she finally felt the latch with her bound hands, hoping that it worked. Her wandless magic was iffy past the realms of the mind.

She had apparently wanted it enough to will it though, because she felt the latch move down into her grip and she felt the door vibrate from the movement of the large lock coming undone. Using her body, she pulled it down the rest of the way and then fell back to open it.

Hazel knew she probably didn't make the most graceful of figures, but it was working and she felt an enormous amount of satisfaction of her accomplishment of wandless magic. She had to move fast though, she doubted whether she would be left alone for muc-

"Expelliarmus!" She felt the spell land just above where she was now slumped on the ground. If she had the energy or the time, she would have pointed out what an idiotic move that had been.

She wasn't even armed! It was a fact she was very aware of at that moment.

She was pulled back by her hair by a very large man who was tall enough and strong enough to hold her off of the floor.

Her scalp burned and her struggling was making the bonds on her wrists tighten painfully. Her chest was displaced and more pangs of pain shot throughout out her body.

She moaned weakly, but that was all she could manage at that point.

"What were you being questioned for?" The man's voice was low but Hazel could barely make out his features, only his outline.

"Tell me!" The accent was Scottish, a fact that she caught onto before she felt something pointy at her neck. "Or I'll take your head from your body."

Even if she had her wand, it may not have been of much use to her. She had never been much of a dueler unfortunately. Still though, she would have been able to get the brute off of her.

Hazel felt adrenaline rush into her body. She grabbed his shirt with her hands and tried to pull herself up a little bit to relieve the pressure from her head.

Blood was pooling in her mouth, making her sputter in order to get what air she could.

Where was Madeye? Was he still there the bugger?

"Let her go!"

James the bugger was there though, Hazel felt a whoosh from the door.

"Oh, she's not the one I'm going to hurt." His wand moved, presumably to face the bigger threat then she was at that moment, and she knew that James would be doing the same thing.

Her hands reached his neck and as quickly as she could, she swung her arms around his neck, separating her wrists as best she could despite the persistent tightening. Something in her body cracked as Hazel imagine that the pain was what the cruciatus felt like. She emitted a loud scream from it and felt her captor move back suddenly, perhaps from either surprise or something James had done.

Hazel felt her hair be released and her fall slightly to the point where her feet could touch the floor.

At the same time, James must have sent a pretty heavy curse at the man, but luckily when he flew back, Hazel didn't. She couldn't believe that haphazard plan had worked, and her wrists were now free.

She could vaguely work out the struggling body of the man, the bonds now around his neck. The force of James' curse had been enough to displace the blue chords. They had whipped themselves off of her with a 'SLAP', and then wrapped around the next thing.

Silly man, didn't he know that the more he struggled, the tighter they would be?

Hazel was on her knees again, but barely for a second before James reached her and grabbed her arm, dragging her forcefully to her feet.

The quick movement made Hazel immediately sick, her soon finding herself keeling over and puking whatever what was in her stomach onto the ground.

Merlin she must have been a sight.

James apparently took no notice however; as he shoved her through the door he had just come through.

"Don't move!" He demanded as she fell to her side, cowering from all of the things that were happening to her body.

'Merlin, what caused that blast?'

She heard James run through the door again and slam it behind him.

It was much quieter on her new side of things, but the only thing that running through her head however was 'Get the bloody hell out of there'.

She tried to disregard her pain as best she could, and got to her knees once again. With her hands free, she balanced on all fours and looked around.

Her vision had improved a bit and she recognized that she was back in the hallway of offices. She had been through there on her way to the interrogation room. She was at a crossroads between the offices and the exit. She needed her wand though, so offices it was.

The area was deserted; undoubtedly having what force they had there at night in the outer area fighting. The sounds of curses and hexes echoed through the hall.

Scampering to the side of the Hall, Hazel pulled herself up but was near exhausted and unconscious by the time she did so. She pushed on however, using the wall as support. She could faint and die when she got out of that place.

Squinting to make out the letters, she found Moody's office three doors down the hall. It had taken her a couple of minutes and in that time she had heard an increasing volume in shouts and more explosions. The fight was getting closer, and it looked like the aurors were having a difficult time of it.

The door, like many, had been left ajar, presumably in the hurry that had occurred with the attack. Hazel was still surprised to find Madeye's ajar however, he was notoriously secretive; no one even knew which Hogwart's house he had been in.

Hazel fell into the chair and called out "Accio wand".

No sounds were made, even of her wand trying to escape from her confinement.

"Shit," Hazel groaned under her breath. Her wand wasn't there and that was a problem.

Her house key, comb, empty coin bag, and robe were laid out on his desk however with little notes next to each. Hazel could still not read what they said.

She re-attained her belongings, but carried her comb.

Basilisk venom huh? If she couldn't find her wand there then she wouldn't go defenseless.

She would have as many passionate loves as needed that night that got in her way of high tailing it out of there.

Hazel's head whipped to the right when she heard a very close explosion, an action that earned her another shoot to the head of a burning sensation. She was running out of time. She had to find her wand. If she left without it then she might not be able to ever get it back.

For her checkups, she knew that her wand was taken down stairs to the wand-restrictions office where her spell history was kept. It could be there.

Spotting a long staff that Madeye had sometimes used for walking but had left in his office, Hazel grabbed it and it allowed her to move faster than before.

She hobbled down the hallway again. Threatening sounds came from both sides however.

Hazel only to the corner before a curse hit her square in the back, finally making her body give out as she fell to the ground. The comb luckily landed beside her, not under her.

* * *

Hazel couldn't remember the last time she felt this awful. She was lying down but it hardly helped. The taste of blood still distastefully filled her mouth, but it didn't seem fresh.

Her back stung painfully, though it really all just merged into her very sore body.

She had no problems with memory (she never did). She knew that she had been knocked unconscious in her attempt to find her wand. Her mind had been muddled then, so that explained why she hadn't 'heard' anyone. Her mind was still whirling, so she was unable to check who was around her. She knew that someone was there though; she just had that feeling.

Hazel opened her eyes to see a purple, high arched ceiling above her with silver spots all over it. Just looking at it made her disorientation even worse, so Hazel looked to her side.

She didn't know whether to be relieved or disappointed by the fact that she was met with Madeye once again. He looked none more ragged than usual, so it seemed that battle suited him. She deduced that the aurors had eventually won. She wondered if the deatheaters had what they came for however.

Madeye had already noticed that she was awake and was looking her straight in the eyes with his own one. She felt uncomfortable with the prospect of how long the time frame was for him doing that.

"How did you know about the attack," Madeye asked immediately, no room for any pleasantries or care.

Hazel tried to speak but only found herself coughing up old blood. Using the staff that Madeye had regained from her, he offered it to. Hazel was surprised to find that her hands were not bound. Hazel took it and used it to sit up (despite the aches and complains of her body) on what she now discovered was a couch. She was now able to see the room. It was large but empty apart from the two of them and was decorated with old, expensive furniture. A heavy, dark wooded desk sat in one of the sections of the circular room.

Was this office for the Minister? Certainly seemed prestigious enough and the awards that hung on the walls seemed to suggest so.

Leaning over herself, she let the blood and other contents of her mouth onto the nice floor, the movement making her sick again.

'Oops'.

Looking down, Hazel saw that she had lost all of the items that she had reclaimed for the short period of time.

The same staff that was used to pull her up was now used to rather roughly push her back against the sofa back, sitting up straight and looking back at Madeye.

She must have been a horrible sight to see. Blood, puke, and bruises, not a great combination.

"Answer the question girl." Despite the help he had given, Madeye was just as gruff as normal.

"You don't have any ideas?" Hazel moaned, but was actually able to speak.

"I will hear it from you."

Hazel hesitated. She wasn't about to let her network become common knowledge. It wasn't like she was in the position to argue however. She probably wouldn't even be able to walk on her own. It was a losing battle and she was on the wrong end.

All because of Doran.

"Will it make any difference if my answer isn't the one you're thinking of?"

"No," Madeye's gaze was resolute and cold. "But I will still hear it from you."

Hazel considered just not answering. She had almost become accustomed by this sort of treatment from people, but this was the second time that it truly bothered her in her life.

'So it doesn't matter huh?'

"I know everyone," Hazel simply replied. Her network stayed hers. "I was bound to hear some things."

"Whom did you hear it from?" Madeye continued emotionlessly.

"My little birds," Hazel knew that Madeye would think of her black and white, and he would only be partly right.

"Do you know why they were here?" His voice deepened and he seemed even less amiable if that were possible.

"No."

"DON'T LIE!"

When he raised his voice to her, Hazel glared at him. She might be losing their quarrel, but he would have to concede some things if he truly wanted to win. That included not verbally denying every word she said (even if she was sure he would do it anyway in his mind).

"I am not lying. I don't know why they were here, only that they would be coming tonight. I assume they're gone then?"

"Ay, they are." Madeye gave one stiff nod. "But we didn't make a damn difference."

The growl that he gave those words in stunned Hazel, but she was back, and she put up her frosty pretense once again. The both of them could play that game.

"The fight up here was a diversion, the real mission was in the department of mysteries. A folder was taken out of the hall of prophecies and out of the brain chamber. The unspeakables that manned those rooms were killed. They hold no official records of everything down there, only the employees knowing. We have no idea what they took, only that they got what they came for without so much of a proper battle."

Hazel's veneer was gone just like that, false pretenses over.

Why was he telling her this? This would undoubtedly be considered classified information. She shouldn't have been being told these things.

"Damn pathetic we were," Madeye seemed furious, and he started rocking back and forth in his own chair, looking deranged.

"Why are you telling me this?" Hazel truly had no idea but her she couldn't use legilimency yet to figure out why.

"Because you are in charge of finding out what they took."

At these words, Hazel's eyes widened in surprise.

He was kidding right?

"You're kidding right?" Hazel questioned, her voice still weak.

Madeye sneered. "No. You will find out what they took and tell us, and you will make sure no one else finds out what is one those papers after you find them."

He actually was deranged.

Hazel leaned forward in order to question him from a closer distance, but did so too quick and winced when she moved. Nonetheless though, she continued.

"Why me?"

"Because I believe you when you say you know everyone. And you knew about tonight. Don't know how, but you did, and that's better than the sorry talents that I have working for me."

"Clearly," Hazel murmured. "What makes you think I'll do this?"

Hazel couldn't remember the last time she had felt so lost and not in control.

"Because I'll be throwin' ya into Azkaban myself if you don't."

"I didn't have anything to do with tonight!" Hazel hissed.

"Careful girl, your fangs are showing," this shut Hazel up.

"I know you don't have anything to do with that side." This surprised Hazel.

Madeye's expression had not changed and his tone was steady. Hazel had never actually appreciated just how good he was at his job. Not just on the field but also in psychological moments like the one she had been unfortunate enough to find herself at the center of.

Madeye leaned in closer to speak to her so that the two were nearly nose-to-nose. Hazel couldn't move though, her body too stiff.

His voice was slow and deep but calculating.

"Do you think it will be the first time someone's been wrongfully imprisoned?"

Hazel's blood ran cold.

He meant that.

"Azkaban will be the only future you have if you don't do this."

Hazel didn't know what to say.

"Suspected of working for Voldemort himself, the theft of basilisk venom from the ministry, illegal legilimency, a danger overall. There are a million ways I could spin your case. Your word against mine will be taken for nothing and the court will throw you in with the worst of this wars criminals without a second thought. Dumbledore has agreed with this plan and I'm sure he'll testify against you as well as me if you don't fulfill this deal. Your reputation proceeds you."

She hated that phrase.

"And you think I wouldn't do anything in order to stop this?" Hazel tried to fight back. "You have no idea what I know. I'd take down anyone I had to."

Madeye let out a great, bellowing laugh. "I don't doubt that, but I also know that words aren't very good when you don't have a tongue."

He was threatening her, and it was actually working.

"So, do we have a deal?"

Hazel nearly scoffed at this. She didn't have a choice.

"What will I get if I do this?"

"You get to stay out of Azkaban, and these checks that I have been allowing Dumbledore to enforce will stop."

Her freedom, in other words.

Hazel thought about it. She could actually have her life back.

She was disappointed when she didn't actually know if that was worth it.

Still, she would stay out of Azkaban.

"So I ask you again, do we have a deal?" Madeye reached into his pocket and Hazel felt a twinge of happiness, no matter how isolated it was, shoot through her body when she saw that it was her wand.

"Do I have a choice?" Hazel had to almost sit on her hand to stop it from going out and grabbing her wand.

"No."

Hazel took her wand back and felt slightly rejuvenated from the spreading of warmth from it, up her arm, and around her body.

"You know that I don't take sides, and I won't help you after this is done."

"We'll see," Madeye grinned manically.

"Then I suppose we do on one condition. You do not interfere with how I go about finding the folders for you. And when I return them, I get left alone." Hazel stared at Madeye a moment longer to ensure there wasn't any phoniness in what he was saying.

He gave off a cynical laugh.

"Oh yes, we'll let you sink into being a nobody."

* * *

 **A/N: I may not be able to update for a while (just a warning). How is my story so far? I love the thoughts I've read so far and thank you very much. Feedback appreciated, thank you for reading.**


	6. Chapter 5

**Disclaimer: You guys know the drill, it's JK Rowling's material.**

* * *

Chapter 5: Cave Time Talks

February 21st, 1979

Hazel staggered into her silent apartment without much ease. Madeye had released her but had sent her home, not to Mungo's where she was sure she needed to go.

"Scars remind us of our mistakes," He had stated to her before she was sent off via the chimney places.

He wasn't the one who cringed every time he moved though.

So there she was; Hazel Potter, bruised, bloodied and in a state of falling apart, sitting in her apartment that had been poked and prodded by aurors, with an unofficial new job; she was the ministry's own little bird until further notice.

At least she got paid, she would need to be in order to pay her birds for amount she was about to put them through. She figured that she could find out what the deatheaters had stolen in the matter of a couple of weeks at most if she set her entire net onto finding out. She had another target as well however-Doran. She didn't take his actions fondly and she intended to let that be known.

Hazel had her possessions (including the comb, it was part of her contract with Madeye) returned to her, and she set these objects on her desk. She kept her wand in her pocket however, not planning on letting it go for a while to avoid the feeling of defenselessness that she had had at the ministry.

Mitzy was lying on Hazel's bed, completely oblivious as to what had just happened to her owner and once again completely satisfied with the notion of doing nothing, Hazel was sure.

"Your majesty," Hazel did a weak bow to her, a bit peeved at just how little she cared.

'Care more!' Hazel silently willed to no avail.

The morning sun was just starting to stream brilliantly into her room, giving everything a pretty gold glow. Looking to her window, Hazel opened it and found her little bird on the railing just outside of it.

The little bird sang a pretty little melody when Hazel appeared, to which Hazel replied with a whistle of the same tune.

To her shock however, there was something else hanging on the railing. A cotton bag that was sealed with string with some odd shapen object in it. Hazel pulled it off and found a note attached to it. It only had her name on it in a hand that she didn't recognize, neat and curly.

Hazel pulled it up and felt it. It was so… soft?

Her little bird tweeted again, pulling Hazel's attention back to it.

At least it hadn't been there when the aurors had come. Offering her index finger, the bird jumped onto it and allowed Hazel to bring it back inside. She set it on its nest where it nestled down.

Hazel smiled down at her black and white. Everything looked the same, but it wasn't. She placed the bag down on the desk. She had more things to worry about and something that soft and squishy probably wasn't dangerous.

Hazel opened her dinky little wardrobe that sat in the corner of her room and looked into the mirror.

They had messed her up pretty badly.

Her clothes now had holes (including her bra, which was ruined by the chest wound that was at its line) and she was covered in a layer of fine dust. Her sweater had a large spot of blood at the left side of her torso. She would definitely need that mended properly.

Her hair had fallen from its braid and now hung somewhat manically around her face, framing it in a messy blanket of black. She looked even paler, the only colour on her coming from the dried, brownish-red mess that plastered the right side of her face in a thick stream. Hazel had what looked like a deep gash at her forehead.

"Tergeo," Hazel murmured, tapping the spot with her wand. The blood cleared from her face and the wound was cleaned. She repeated this spell all over her body until the dust, rubble, and blood were completely gone, before throwing the remnants into her bin.

She wasn't much of a healer, and she had nearly no idea what to do about her ribs. She couldn't lift her left arm however or put any pressure onto that side.

There were an uncountable amount of paper-thin scratches along her face and hands, but they would heal on their own. Her lip was busted and a bruise had formed over both of her temples, giving the appearance of a much more defined bone structure in her face somehow from the shadowing they created.

Her eyes carried bags from exhaustion, and Hazel wanted nothing more than to take a strong dose of her draught of peace and sleep for next twenty-four hours. She couldn't leave her injuries for that long.

She could go to mungo's, but she knew that questions would be asked as to how she got them and she didn't much feel up to that.

She lied down on her bed though (not on her injured side) and pointed her wand to her ribcage now.

"Ferula," She murmured, and almost immediately screamed from the pain of feeling her bones go back into place and be splinted.

"Can it Potter!" Hazel could have ripped Gideon's eyes out for that comment. She really needed to get out of that apartment space.

When the pain of her ribs moving subsided, she did feel better despite the dull pain that still accompanied it.

That was about the best that her healing capabilities could do however, but she knew someone who was very good with them and who she wouldn't mind asking question.

She whistled for her black and white, which flew over within an instant.

She spoke 20 separate messages out loud to it, which it recorded diligently. 15 to most of her network, giving them all different places to meet her in the following days. The topic was sensitive and she needed to speak to them in person. 5 were sent out to the rest of her network. They got the fun job. They got to find Doran for her.

Thus, the birds split into 20 different clones of one another, ready to relay her message vocally to their individual recipients. They sped out of her window in a straight but swift line, taking to the skies, darting in different directions.

She would make a better plan of action of how to go about finding the folders once she had a better idea of what she was dealing with. She already had a list formulating in her mind of who to ask on her own.

Regulus was the first one on that list.

Hazel yearned for sleep, but nonetheless pulled herself back up and shed her ruined clothes and boots. She grabbed her towel and her toiletries and then left her room in order to take a shower down the hall in the community bathrooms.

* * *

She barely felt any better when she emerged, but at least she was cleaned. Her rib wound had started bleeding in the shower again, and now her towel was covered in the red liquid from trying to stop the bleeding using it.

She returned to her room and dropped her towel to take a proper look at the damage that had been done. Her body shivered from the cold of winter hitting her bare skin, but she was used to the cold.

"Accio bandages," Hazel demanded, knowing that she kept them somewhere. They flew from her desk and hovered at her wand point for a second before Hazel let them drop onto her bed.

Looking in her mirror, she could properly see the gash on her head now that her hair was dripping wet and was combed back away from it.

It was fairly deep, but wasn't bleeding anymore.

Her back had a large bruise at the small of it, the effect being a dark, reddish purple mark that would probably take a while to go away. Still though, it was just a bruise.

The gash in her chest was the worst part however and it looked like a bone puncturing her skin had caused it. She hoped that it would heal on its own.

Regulus was good with stuff like that however. She didn't know whether or not he knew any spells to make it go away.

He was past the age of 17 now so him doing magic at some cave near Hogsmeade wouldn't register. He was 18 actually now, for his birthday had been the first of February. Hazel had sent him a ½ of a watch set (although she knew that his parents had given him the customary 17th birthday watch the year before). The one she gave him had few more uses than just times however. She had the other half of this more… specified item and had bewitched the so that one could set a time and place on one end and it would be correlated onto the other one. It was a bit old fashioned; no one had used this sort of communication since the 18th century, but that was part of the glory of them, for one suspected them unlike owls. She could use her little bird, but Dumbledore could possibly see.

She gave it to him rather than Rachel since she wanted to make sure they had a much more secure way of contacting one another for at least the months to come until he graduated.

Part of her plan to keep him out of Voldemort's clan was to the support that he had rather than his family, and that meant being able to see him anytime he needed her. That's what she had intended the watches for, but it looked like it was to be the other way around.

She used her wand to wrap the bandages securely around her chest (lifting her arm slightly in order for the bandages to be able to wrap properly, but not enough to cause too much pain again) while she went to retrieve her watch.

The pair had been expensive, even though she had bought them for a slightly better price at the Dragon Way Pass from a woman from Romania, but she had still had to forgo her 20 birds for the month of November last year (in which she had actually had quite a few jobs) in order to save for them. Extravagant spending, but she hoped that it would be worth it.

The two of them had looked almost identical. They were both gold with wide wristbands (although Hazel's was slightly more dainty) and had a pearl face.

The largest hand ran like a normal watch, but three smaller faces were put around the center of the watch. One for the day, one for the celestial cycles, and one for the time, all of which she set for that day at noon. The hands on hers were shaped like stars while his had been shaped like moons. A row of dials ran around the rim of the face, framing the numbers. These switched between being coordinates for a place to meet and an update to the location of the other watch once a time and place was set.

It was 6:30 and he probably wouldn't be up yet. She did however hope that he would pick his half up and look at it once he was. She assumed that he would take the 4th floor mirror passage. She had found it with the help of a certain someone who she had ended up getting to know while a prefect, and she had used it with Rachel mostly in order to sneak out at night or during week days to go to Hogsmeade. The majority of the goals had been to go to Honeyduke's. She still had taken Regulus along with her on a fair share of them however and she knew that he knew the tunnels well enough. It was a Wednesday so he would have to sneak out as he probably had class that day.

She put the watch on her wrist before moving back to her wardrobe to get dressed.

The bandages dropped to the floor after severing themselves, a small patch of red already appearing through the thick layer placed there.

She put on a fresh pair of black pants and her thick, woolen, Slytherin jumper to warm her up, but put her now raggedy boots back on.

She stuck small pieces of cloth tape to the gash on head to close it a little bit before drying her hair with her wand.

The entire process of getting ready was slow, taking close to an hour with much of that dedicated to trying to put on a new bra and her sweater, wincing with every movement.

She could cover up the bruises and scratches on her face with makeup, but Haze ultimately decided against it. They would evoke some sympathy from Regulus and to be honest, she felt like she needed some. Plus they wouldn't hurt for convincing him to tell her what he could. Manipulative? A bit.

Combed out her hair as best she could and by the time she finished, Hazel was back to looking halfway decent. The gash on her head was covered with her hair and her now clean clothes hid most of the marks over her body. If she wore gloves then that was her hands concealed as well.

If the cuts didn't heal properly, maybe she could take up company with the round man at the Inn at Brighton who had tons of scars and liked a good fight. The two of them would make an interesting, badly scarred team.

Although, it didn't seem as if she had a good record with sketchy strangers that she met on a whim. Probably best not to pursue that acquaintance after all.

She would go and see Rachel that night and get on side. She knew Rachel would do it. A team of 22 she thus had, a higher number then the auror office had on hand usually. If she added her little bird to do some of her bidding, the number became unlimited.

She couldn't have an unlimited amount however until she knew where she was looking. That was where the 22 came in.

Looks like Dumbledore was finally going to get to see her little birds in action however, what he wanted. This disappointed Hazel, but it wasn't like she had a choice.

* * *

Hazel landed just outside of Hogsmeade with a loud crack. Her boots were immediately covered in snow, unlike in London where it was just wet and dreary.

The wind howled around her in a gusty haze, blowing the powdering snow around her.

Hazel wrapped her robe around her more and tightened her scarf. She wore a forest cloak over everything that least protected her from the wind a bit.

Hazel trudged as best she could away from the village and towards the mountains. The cave that was there had used by her to store away some of her more controversial books during her time at school. Most of them had been full of unthinkable things, but she still found them interesting. The books now sat at the bottom of her old school trunk.

It took a little while, but she eventually got to the mouth of the cave, which sat in the foothills of the mountains behind. The relief from the cold was almost instant once the wind couldn't reach her.

Her gray-eyed friend sat waiting for her, using his wand to illuminate the cave and reading a large, red leather bound book. Hazel could make out the watch on his wrist. He wasn't in in school robes, instead sporting what looked jeans and jumper that looked suspiciously muggle.

She wondered if his parents knew that he even had he had them.

Over it all though were his own robes.

"Hey stranger," Hazel smiled softly at him as he looked up at her words, slightly startled.

He started to smile back, but it faded quickly when she pulled back her cloak and robe hoods, giving him a better look at her battered up face.

"Merlin! What did you do?" Regulus got to his feet, putting his book the ground.

"It's a long story," Hazel shrugged. She walked over to him.

"We've got time."

"At the right time," Hazel replied.

Regulus raised his eyebrow and closed the distance between them, still looking concerned. He went to hug her and Hazel was about to return it, not thinking of that fact that her body still rejected any pressure.

Hazel yelps, tensing up at soon as his arm went to her back.

Regulus pulled back from her immediately and gave her a once over. He eyed her side in particular, reaching for it and pulling her sweater a bit gently. He looked at her with a deadpan look. "That's blood isn't it?"

Hazel nodded guiltily.

"You know I'm not all that great at patch jobs."

"Why didn't you go to Mungo's?"

"They would ask to many questions about how I got them."

"Madame Pomfrey would have done it."

"But Regulus," Hazel pouted a bit too deeply for it to look serious (her busted lip only making it more exaggerated). "Didn't you want to see me?"

She received a glare, though non-malicious, from him.

"Sit down."  
"Thank you," Hazel smirked but did as he said, moving her robe and cloak to her other side and wrapping her gloved hands in them to keep warm.

Regulus slumped down beside her, wand in hand, and grabbed the bottom of her jumper, pulling it up somewhat hesitantly.

Hazel watched in amusement as he blushed when he realized that the majority of wound was under her bra. Hazel wasn't self-conscious herself, so she found this funny.

"Is there a problem Reg?" Hazel asked, smiling goofily at his discomfort.

"No," He replied a bit too quickly. "Could you… uh."

Still grinning, Hazel knew what he was going to ask and moved the band up for him. He could be very innocent sometimes. Hazel could remember him always averting his eyes every time female mermaids swam by the Slytherin windows and blushing if he accidentally looked.

He was brilliant her friend, but so thick sometimes as well.

"It's just skin Regulus," She chuckled slightly. Regulus glanced at her but didn't say anything.

Running his wand in a straight line down the bandages, which were soaked red, the bandaged were cut cleanly and he pulled them away.

He paused when he caught sight of her rib cage.

"Who fixed this before? The bones are splintered crookedly. It's a hack job?"

Hazel glared at him. She had actually been very proud of that.

"Thank you for the encouragement on my work," Hazel said coldly.

"Stop talking," Regulus said quickly. "You need to be still."

"Ferula," His spell was fast and confident, and it caused much less pain then the spell she had cast. Her bones cracked as they repositioned themselves once again She still let out a hiss however, even if it had been less agonizing.

The next spell he used was unknown to her.

"Vulnera, Sanentur."

He repeated this spell three times while Hazel looked at him puzzled. She wasn't very good at healing spells but she did still know a fair number. She hadn't even the faintest memory of reading about the one he was using.

She didn't say anything however.

"How have you not fainted from this blood loss?" He asked, seeming to be actually astonished.

"Maybe I'm about too?" Hazel shrugged "I haven't slept in two days and running on fumes. I haven't really noticed."

Regulus looked back up to. Hazel looked down at his work and was surprised to see that her skin was now completely clear of any wound.

"Wow," Hazel murmured, taking her glove off and running her hand over her now unmarred skin. This made Regulus grin with what she guessed was pride.

'Vulnera Sanentur; I need to remember that one.' She thought to herself. It was still tender but at least it looked healed.

"You'll tell me at the right time?" He began.

"Indeed." She prodded him on.

"It's the right time Hazel."

She smiled but silently consented.

She told him everything that had happened. Doran, the Comb, the arrest her brother, the attack; he was told the lot. She thought it felt kind of good to tell someone. Whether or not she showed it, she wasn't exactly calm by the whole thing even if she had a good number of people to help her.

All the while, Regulus was silent, working away at the various cuts and bruises that she had.

"… I was blasted in the back and I woke up with Madeye in my view."

"What did he want?" Regulus asked, sitting back against the rocky wall of the cave next to her, lowing his wand and stretching his legs out in front of him so that they were parallel to hers.

She let out a cynical breath of a laugh.

"Voldemort's supporters had broken into the department of mysteries and stole some files with information that no one knows what it is. I'm supposed to find out."

"So you're working for them." Hazel looked to her left to see his face, but found it unreadable. Legilimency was out of the question, so she would have to wait to see what eh was thinking.

"It's that or life in Azkaban apparently." Hazel leaned back and stared at the stone in front of her. The large pit of stones where she had kept her books was still there, making her smile a little bit, even at the thought of her possible imprisonment.

"How would they do that? You haven't done anything wrong." He was still a cipher, his voice giving nothing away.

Hazel sighed. "I've done plenty wrong, and they can make what I've done look bad enough to warrant imprisonment." This kind of saddened Hazel now that she really thought about it; as a child, she had wanted to be an auror.

Her family had worked at the ministry and her grandfather himself had been an auror. She and James had spent endless sun filled hours playing and pretending to be him. It had seemed so glorified back than, incorruptible. Yet there she was now in a freezing cave, having just been threatened to be wrongfully convicted of conspiring against them. Things weren't black and white though, and Madeye was doing what was necessary.

'What ever means to reach their goal,' Hazel repeated the Sorting Hat's words that she had heard throughout her time at Hogwarts in her head.

Maybe Madeye moody had been in Slytherin?

She couldn't blame him for ruining her perspective or his actions. To be honest, she was so used to winning that she sort of respected him for beating her. She still felt angry, but she also felt respect for the morally ambiguous turn he took.

But sun filled memories don't last, they become gray very fast.

While getting lost in her own thoughts, Hazel hadn't noticed Regulus in his own little world. He didn't seem surprised or shocked about her information at all.

"I knew about it." Regulus murmured this so quietly that Hazel nearly missed it. "I heard them planning it last time I was home… and you were there?"

This is what Hazel had been hoping for, but she felt horrible because Regulus felt so guilty. Hazel put a hand on his shoulder

"Reg, _this_ ," Hazel motioned to some of her body that was still a bit mangled. "Is not your fault. Just dumb bad luck."

He didn't look convinced and avoided her eyes.

Hazel grabbed his chin and made him look at her, stormy grey meeting sea green. He was glum every time she saw him now and she didn't like it. "Stop being so dramatic, it's not anyone's fault. It's just how it is." Anyone would think he was the one with the sentence upon him.

"So you've chosen them?" He didn't sound angry, just... matter of fact like.

"No!" Hazel denied, shaking her head as best she could. "I'm not choosing a side, I told you I wouldn't. If I find the information they want then they leave me alone they said."

Pity filled Regulus' eyes.

He replied softly; "No they won't."

Hazel didn't answer for a few seconds, thinking about his point.

"No… they won't."

Regulus looked at her a moment longer. He took a deep breath.

"So what do we do?"

"We?" Hazel questioned, though secretly happy about.

Regulus saw through the fake innocence.

"Don't act like you weren't going to ask me."

Hazel's soft smile returned for him. "I was hoping you would. I need you in this, but you don't have to. "

"Yeah I do," His eyes moved to her forehead, where he seemed to notice her gash. "No one can know though."

"I know."

Using the pad of his thumb, he ran his finger over the now crusted wound, pushing her hair out of the way with the side of his had.

"I don't know what will happen though after… this." She knew what he meant by that, but was slightly let down that helping her hadn't at least teamed him up with her yet.

"Have you decided yet?

He shook his head.

Hazel grabbed his hand from where it was at her hairline and held it in hers, leaning her head on his shoulder which he copied with his own head leaning against hers. The two of them looked out into space and or at the opposing wall for a while, silence between them for a couple of minutes.

In the silence, Hazel finally took notice of the cold again as well as the fact that she was tired and hungry, having not eaten for 24 hours. Regulus' hand was warm in her now ungloved ones, which she had been told were always cold.

She had never noticed that before, their apparent difference in body temperatures.

"Why didn't you join them? The aurors I mean? You put in your application after your exams but withdrew it. I never asked?" Regulus finally broke their silence,

"Because half my house's year joined _him._ I couldn't fight people who I had been kids with. And I wouldn't be able to fight you if you do join." Those words came out easily for Hazel. She had been very sure on them for a long time.

"You disagree with them though." She did.

"But I once knew them, I know how they got there, and it wasn't always their fault."

Not all the time, but sometimes she saw them be pushed into it. Slytherins had a penchant for being distrusted and somewhat distrusted by the other houses, so of course they joined whatever group was happy to have them, the few who did believe in the prejudice that fueled that side. It was prejudice against them that pushed them there in the first place.

She would never join them, but she also couldn't fight the ones she knew had been thrown into it blindly. Not all of them had been of course, two of Reg's cousins were the perfect example of that. But his other cousin, Andromeda was an excellent example of what happened with Slytherins rejected the likes of Bellatrix and Narcissa Black. Disowned just like Reg's brother had been.

It was a subtly barbaric world, but it was deeply ingrained. It didn't exonerate those who joined actions, but it was just a different perception for future reference, for Hazel's actions with Regulus.

"You think you won't meet any of them with what you're about to do?"

"I know I will."

"So what are you going to do."

"I have no idea." Hazel clasped his hand tighter. She truly didn't know. At least Regulus was on her side of the fire line (not that she would ever let him actually get that far into it, it was still her business. The same went for Rachel)

"Would you hate me?"

Hazel knew that Regulus didn't agree with his cousins Bellatrix and Narcissa on blood purity (she was technically a blood traitor to them yet here he was), not really, but he was just as loyal as his dog of brother, even if it was to different people. He was still loyal to his family, and he was willing to put up with a lot, even if it contradicted his own views. He was choosy with who he acquainted with, and did not give them up easily. He was seen as being the perfect, quiet, non-rebellious son by his parents, quiet from choosing to not partake in discussions that he didn't feel apart of. Perfect because he never let on to leaving them disappointed. Hazel had met his parents only a few times on passing, but it wasn't difficult to see.

She didn't know whether or not they knew the Regulus that she had befriended, the one who took the time to learn mermish and who she knew saw his house-elf as an equal, something that the potters hadn't even truly done.

"Not if it was truly _your_ decision."

"So in other words, someone at least is going to hate me, whichever side I choose. I'd don't want that." Regulus said this as if it were almost funny. Hazel's brow furrowed at this and lifted her head, causing Regulus to do the same.

She waited until he was looking at her once again to speak.

"Stop worrying if people hate you or not for what you decide. You do what you need to do." She spoke softly, leaning a bit closer to whisper the last bit. "But you can't always get you want."

He didn't say anything, just looked at her thoughtfully. Hazel put her head back onto his shoulder, but he didn't replace his own. He took his hand from hers as well, Hazel missing the warmth immediately.

He reached back up to her hairline laceration and lifted his wand once again to it.

"Episkey," Her murmured, and Hazel could feel her skin stitching itself back together.

"Hey Reg," Hazel took what attention she could get from him.

"Yeah?" He was still mostly focused on her forehead.

"Thank you."

* * *

Hazel slumped against the back of her door when she finally returned home at 9 that night. It was nearly nightfall but she wasn't as tired mentally, it was only her body ached.

She had crashed while still with Regulus and had woken up only half an hour ago.

She felt bad for that, as Regulus didn't leave her while she slept.

He was a good guy.

He had given her a list to look into, but she only took names. She wouldn't get him involved more then he had too. They caught up in a strangely common manner considering the circumstances after that, and that was when she had just fallen asleep.

She walked with him back to the large oak tree that the passage to the 4th floor mirror ended at. She had hugged him goodbye, this time successfully, and apparated from there.

Hazel went to her window and opened it, finding her little bird at the same place she had found him that morning. It was snoozing lightly.

She went through the routines of putting into his next once again before she spotted the oddly shaped package from that morning.

She had forgotten about it.

She sat down at her desk and pulled out a pack of Bertie-Botts that she had in one of the draws.

She pulled the string off of the top of the bag, saving the note as a reference for the handwriting, just incase it came up again.

She looked down into the now open bag and couldn't quite believe what was in it. Taking the cloth away, she stared at its content. She had a narrowed down list as to who it was from, but that didn't make the reveal any less shocking.

Hazel quickly dropped it back onto her desk however and turned her back to that, choosing instead to get ready for bed. She was still tired and needed to sleep, even if she wasn't about to collapse.

She shed her clothes once again and grabbed the over-sized t-shirt that she slept in that had the Hollyhead Harpies symbol on it.

The same feeling that everything in her apartment looked exactly the same hit her again.

'How can everything look so normal?'

It wasn't. It just a single day, everything had changed.

Regulus had been right, they wouldn't leave her alone after this. She could try and remain neutral but the involvement that she was about to partake in just to avoid losing what little future she had surely doomed any attempts she would make.

And what would she do when she met with one of the kids that she had once known. Spying, fine, but fighting a harming… she didn't know if she could do that.

And if Regulus followed his family… there was no way she would be able to do that.

She wondered if Regulus thought about the fact that they would be on opposing sides potentially if she was shoved further into this as time went on. Her with the angels and he with the devils; it sounded like a bad romance novel.

There wasn't much point in thinking about that now, but Hazel knew that it was going to nag her at the back of her mind until it was time to think about it.

'No, they wouldn't leave me alone,' Hazel thought.

So much had changed since she was eleven and a lion of the potters. She wasn't that brave anymore.

Hazel snapped her fingers and her lights automatically switched off, leaving her in darkness. She picked Mitzy up and moved her up onto her pillow where the feline always slept just above her head.

She crawled into bed with a considerably heavier heart then she had two nights previously.

She wasn't about to get to sleep easier once again. She still had her potion, but thought better of using it. It was easy to get addicted to if one was too dependent upon it.

Hazel still staggered to her feet however, a dull pain still radiating around her body and went to her desk to pick up the item that had been in the bad.

Hazel got back into bed, Mitzy purring as the cat went through her daily, solitary routine of affection for Hazel.

"Here me roar," Hazel whispered to herself, closing her eyes and hugging Godric, the stuffed lion, to her chest just as she had done as a little girl, not noticing her watch that she still wore change suddenly to a new date, time and place.

* * *

 **A/N: I said I wouldn't be able to update as quickly as I normally do, but it turned out I was able to. I'm not very sure for the next few however.**

 **I hope you are at least intrigued by the story, thank you for reading, feedback is appreciated!**


	7. Chapter 6

**Disclaimer: Same as previous chapters.**

* * *

Chapter 6: The Game is On

February 26th, 1979

Hazel pulled the collar of her muggle trench coat up to shield her a bit more from the sheets of rain that fell on London that morning. She was dressed in all muggle clothes, suitable for the fact that she waited beneath the awning of a muggle café. She wore a dark blue, velvet dress underneath the coat with tall boots and a red beret. Wizards were notorious when it came to dressing like muggles, somehow turning out either completely too flamboyant or mismatched to blend in. She didn't think she was too bad at it however as she saw several muggle girls her own age wearing similar clothing. Her umbrella was in hand, but she still got somewhat wet from the wind spraying some rain beneath her sheltered location.

She had slept well for the past few days and her body only ached a little, so she looked a tad bit more alive than she had before that morning, actually having some colour in her cheeks and a very red nose from the cold. She wore her watch still, the date that Regulus had set still on it and scheduled for that next weekend. Hazel wasn't sure what he wanted to talk about, he had given her his list of names that she was satisfied with that. That didn't matter though. It wasn't like not knowing was going to keep her from meeting him.

'To be honest, I wouldn't mind if it was just to say hi,' Hazel thought to herself, even though the logical part of her mind told her that she would be wasting valuable time.

At that moment in the rain however, she was waiting for her last little bird.

She had sent the others off on their assignments with a little black and white trailing each of them. Another black and white sat comfortably in the pocket of her coat ready for the last bird, Hazel careful not to squish it or ruffle its feathers.

"We could sit inside you know." The door to the café opened and out stepped Rachel, two drinks in hand. Hazel had told her about what was happening the day after meeting with Regulus and Rachel had been furious at what had happened at the ministry. She had however gathered everything the information that she could and gave it to Hazel.

None of it was new to Hazel, but it was good to see Rachel was on her side (even if she knew she would be already).

"The woman we're meeting is a bit skittish, she wouldn't just walk in here by herself without seeing me first."

Rachel looked a bit annoyed as she handed Hazel her drink before leaning against the store window. She was dressed rather well in Muggle clothes as well (at least Hazel thought she was for their standards), somehow making paisley patterned suede look good with brown pants.

"Well it's freezing so she better hurry up." Rachel sipped her drink, looking haughtily out for Hazel's companion. "Why a muggle café?"

"This lady is a squib, she mostly stays around muggles but works at the ministry occasionally as a cleaner." Her friend looked at her surprised, but she didn't say anything.

She had brought Rachel because she needed her little bird to know her, because it was Rachel who she was going to report back to.

The two girls had formed a plan the same night that Hazel informed her as to what was going on. Five of her birds were off searching for Doran, and fourteen had been sent in search of information on the ministry's most recent raid. This last one however, due to her more nervous disposition, Hazel had decided to set upon forming a list of known supporters or sympathizers in the ministry and finding out where they had been that night. That was a bit easier than the other 14 who didn't really have leads apart from the list of names that she passed on to them from Regulus (though none of them knew that it had been him to write it up). Rachel was going to be back checking the Prophet records and auror reports for the weeks prior to see for any abnormalities, a similar job. Hazel's bird would tell Rachel what she found and then the 19-year-old girl would go searching.

"I can't believe you didn't tell me that you went out with the guy," Rachel shook her head, mumbling. She was talking about Doran. Hazel had had to stop the story about how he had framed her when she was telling Rachel her story in order to explain the fact that she had gone on a date with him. Rachel had been aghast that she didn't know.

"Everyone has their secrets," Hazel shrugged.

"Yeah but you shouldn't have secrets about your love life. You're hopeless at it." Rachel rolled her eyes, cupping her hands around her hot cup in what Hazel guessed was an effort to keep them warmer.

"Believe it not, I'm pretty disappointed about how it went as well."

"That's your problem. Usually you're sensible and careful but as soon as some hot guy shows interest in you, no matter how much of a prat he is, your intelligence becomes minimal. If you had told me I probably would have seen how sketchy this guy was."

Hazel couldn't believe that they were having this conversation with their mission at hand.

"Not everyone has that as the norm you know. And I do not," Hazel continued the conversation nonetheless however.

"Mark Llewyn? I saw that coming and you didn't believe me."

Mark had been Hazel's boyfriend for the first half of her seventh year who hadn't been a great guy (she had been just one of his girlfriends and she had taken several detentions for him despite this). He had been attractive though….

Maybe she had a point, but Hazel was hardly going to tell her that.

"Rachel, we are just starting a mission that could end with us going to Azkaban if we don't succeed. My past history in dating is hardly relevant."

"We?" Rachel scoffed.

"I will drag you down with me, don't you worry about that." She wouldn't, but if it got them back on topic then who cared.

"So serious," Rachel's eyebrow arched. "You're actually worried about this aren't you? Our ice queen finally shows a crack."

"Okay, seriously, why do people call me that?" Sirius had called her that as well.

"Sweetie, people have been calling you that since fourth year," Rachel grinned, taking another sip.

Hazel frowned, but took a sip of her own hot drink, tea hitting her lips. She grimaced slightly when she noticed that it was a bit sweet, but nevertheless drank more for the liquid warming her up.

A whistle sounded from across the road, and Hazel saw a frazzled, elderly woman across from them. She was dressed a bit better than her other birds, but her clothes were mismatched and all different types of floral. Her hair was gray and frizzy.

"There she is," Hazel motioned to the woman, before leaving across the road with her umbrella to bring the lady to them.

* * *

Hazel was back at her apartment again that afternoon, bored out of her mind. The rain was still pissing down heavily; though Hazel knew her birds could handle it.

She liked the sound that the rain made though, a constant battering of water against the window. She liked it when she wasn't in it at least.

She had been hoping that she would have a window rail full of birds waiting for her when she got home but she found nothing but Mitzy's food all over the floor from the calico spilling it.

The first of her birds had gone out just over two days ago yet she had still heard nothing back from any of them.

She wasn't worried, but the whole situation was very dull for her at that moment.

Her birds had something to do, Regulus was at school, Rachel had stayed behind at the café to speak with the squib, and Hazel was just there.

She had spent time on a new spell of hers, a defensive one with… interesting capabilities if she was able to configure it correctly. She had only been able to try it out on herself however; she needed a test subject besides her biased self. It wasn't one of those ridiculous, loud spells that once they were cast your opponent was completely aware of what you were doing and could predict your moves from then on, whether or not it was done non-verbally. This was far subtler in tone. It worked to mixed results on her, but that's just because had known what was going on. She knew one limitation on it would be that the victims would preferably have to be unaware of her actions. No incantation, no wand… just the mind.

It still wasn't ready though.

Notes on it sat locked in her mind in the deepest cavern of her consciousness. Far safer than any gringotts vault.

She had called it a day on her project however half an hour ago however.

'Merlin, I'm the head of the whole operation, why am I the only one without something to do?' Hazel wondered, twirling her wand between her fingers. She was stuck just waiting until at least one bird returned with a bit of information that she could go on.

"I wonder where they are," Hazel muttered, unhappy with her situation (she thought it would at least be exciting).

With a tight twirl of her wand, a green image was projected from her wand, showing a world map with a heavy density of white dots in the south of England. Using her finger, she used her fingers to zoom into the image where her little black and white birds were being tracked. The majority were around London, but there were a couple in the Wiltshire District where many of the great wizarding families had country estates. She guessed that some of her other birds had travelled their and her black and whites had followed. She had programed her black and whites to record whatever they found before she gave them out.

The fact that they were all white meant that her inventions hadn't been captured and taken away from their mission, for if they had, they would have turned red and the dots would disappear. This would connotate that the captured bird had changed back into a rose. She had had to create a new spell in order to accommodate that function of theirs.

'Relinqua revertetura' had done the trick. Abandon what they were doing and return to their previous state, the Hogwart's winter roses. As long as the original one survived however, the birds would continue to survive. She could summon the original back by just whistling, no matter how far apart the two parties were.

None of the birds however looked to be flying back to her though, so she flicked her wand in order to dissipate the image. This might take longer than Hazel had originally thought.

Hazel twirled on her chair, thinking that the spinning of the chair was sometimes the best part of her days.

Godric sat on her bed, Mitzy cuddling up the stuffed animal. Her childhood toy was frayed around the edges and the colour was turning from golden yellow to more of a yellowish- gray.

She had put it away into storage a while back and she had thought she had put it into her family's attic. She guessed that James' was finally going through their parents' house and had sent her that. It wasn't his handwriting though, so maybe that fiancé of his had done it.

She hadn't had anything to do with the lawyers and the will after their funeral, so she guessed that it was actually his now.

"Oh well," Hazel sighed.

She was still bored though and she needed something to clear her mind. Why couldn't she have been a good flyer and have gotten a broom back when she didn't have to pay her way through life. She could have gone flying (even though the feeling made her sick). It would have been something to do, even in the rain.

Her father used to take her out when she was younger, particularly during thunderstorms without her mother knowing. James had always been a competent flyer on his own, so he could go out whenever he wanted. Hazel stuck with her dad however. They always went out during thunderstorms because it oddly was one of the only times that she didn't get vertigo. If the rain was too heavy to see the ground, then she was fine. And she loved the feeling, no matter how cold it would get.

And whenever they got home, her mother would look at them both furiously before ordering their house-elf to get the pepper-up potion. Alasdair had been the name of their house-elf, a courtly elf with a good deal of dignity. He died of old age when Hazel was in fifth year, the family burying him in the cemetery were most potters were buried.

She found that terribly morbid, the fact that her entire ancestry could be found in one place, all the way back to when they were Peveralls (a name she had found as a child playing hide and seek with James in the cemetery). So there it was, a bunch of potters rotting in the ground together, how poetic.

She had still buried her parents there though, as they had wanted she remembered.

She certainly didn't want that, but in the end, it didn't really matter. It was just material and the ground. Besides, she would be dead and wouldn't really care would she?

A snake among lions, now that was poetic.

Still, the rain fell and she had no father to take her out and make her get a cold.

"Gideon!" Hazel shouted, hoping her neighbor was home.

"What do you want?" He replied back trying to sound irritated almost immediately, to quickly to be annoyed at the prospect of her. She smirked.

"Do you have the daily prophets from the past few days?" Hazel called back. She hadn't actually read them for a while, but had heard and seen the prophet owls delivering the paper to the window beside her own, Gideon's to be exact.

"That's not you business!"

Hazel chuckled.

"I know you have them!" Hazel called back.

"If you think I have them then why did I if I did at all?" He sounded smug.

'Poor boy thinks he's being smart.'

"It was a courtesy question. I want them though."

"I need them!"

"It's not like they're going to be useful anymore. News does change you know!"

"Really?!" He sounded sarcastic.

"Yep, everyday," she retorted innocently. "Just toss them into the hall and I'll get them."

"Why do you need them?"

"To make clothes of and to make a fire!" Now it was her turn to be sarcastic. "For Merlin's sake Gideon, just give them to me!"

Hazel paused for a second when he didn't answer her, but soon heard the sound of rustling in his neighbor's apartment.

Hazel got up from her chair and went into the hall and had to wait only a few seconds before her fuzzy haired roommate opened his door and tossed the newspapers at her.

"Thank you," Hazel told him looking at the front page of the first paper, expecting him to just leave, but instead her towering neighbor stayed in the hallway with her. She peered up from the paper to him.

"Can I help you with something?"

"Why were those aurors here the other night?"

"You know that I get check ups," Hazel looked back down at the paper, flipping through it quickly.

"Is everything alright?" Hazel froze and looked back at him with a bewildered look on her face.

"Everything's fine," Hazel wasn't sure what to make of her 'considerate' neighbor.

Gideon seemed to digest this for a moment before nodding and scratching the back of his head as if he were embarrassed.

"Are you alright?"

"Yep, fine, fine… Well good, it was just a bit weird not having you make so much noise." He avoided her eyes.

"Oh, well, I hope you enjoyed the peace and quiet." Merlin the conversation was awkward.

"Oh I did!" He looked a bit to eager to nod his head.

Hazel caught his glance as he looked back and she fell into his mind, but found nothing of any consequence. When she left, he didn't seem to have noticed and was instead just starting to back his way back into his apartment.

Was he actually just worried about her?

'Weird.'

"I'll see you later Gideon," Hazel was eager to leave the hallway and go back to the confines of her own room.

"I'll hear you later." And with that, he disappeared back behind his door.

In any other context, that last line would have sounded creepy, but then Hazel actually smiled a little bit at it.

She then too retreated to her own apartment and began to shuffle through the papers. Mitzy waddled slowly over to her and scratched at her chair until Hazel picked her up.

She put the feline on her desk and stroked her back, Mitzy purring in thanks before closing her eyes.

Hazel went through all the papers. Many of the articles had been about the raid, no mention of the files stolen in them however. Rachel had told her that the paper hadn't heard anything about them. They were keeping it classified.

The daily prophet held it's fair amount of junk, Hazel believed, though she would never tell Rachel that. Most of it was about the bravery of the aurors without the slightest inclination as to the real problem as well as the fact that no deatheater had been captured, all fleeing before hand.

She presumed they fled as soon as they got word that the real mission was over. She wondered who had been there that she knew. The large man who had held her by the hair had no familiarity to her.

She did however read the article about a muggle family that had been killed, although no one had been apprehended in suspicion. The article referenced previous attacks on families similar and Hazel tried to remember hearing about them. One had just happened a couple of weeks before and the other just two months ago.

For the life of her she couldn't remember a thing about that, an idea that irritated her.

Had she just been ignoring them?

Hazel flipped back to the front page of the earliest paper and looked at the photo on the front. Rubble still hung around the greeting lobby of the ministry and several aurors who had been in the fight were lined up in front for a picture with several others scurrying around beside and behind them, working to clean up.

James, Madeye, Sirius, Alice and Frank Longbottom were there as well as another 7.

Then there wa-.

'Hold on, was that…?'

Squinting at the photo, Hazel fumbled around her desk for Reg's list.

'Yep, Thorfinn Rowle,' She ran her thumb over the name.

He had been in his sixth year when she had been in her first and the two of them had not gotten along.

Back in the day, he had been mocking Sirius for being put into Gryffindor instead of Slytherin with the rest of his family. She had been walking with him and James at the time. She and James told him to stop it, she in particular getting into a fight with the big, blonde guy when she argued that she, a Slytherin shouldn't be with the two Gryffindors.

He still looked the same from what she could tell from the millisecond that he was in the frame. Hazel thought back and was pretty sure that she had heard something about him going to the ministry for work.

He was carrying a box of something and looking away from the camera. His big hulking figure and bright hair with the same, stubborn expression on his face made it unmistakable that it was he.

A huge smile burst onto her face and she jumped up from her chair and grabbed her muggle coat (it was closer then her robe) and red beret and put them back on. She wrapped her multi-coloured striped scarf around her neck and grabbed her umbrella.

She cracked her window open for her bird, just incase it came back while she was gone and gave Mitzy a quick scratch behind her ears.

Hazel snatched her wand off the table and shot out the door, barely remembering to lock her door. As she soon as she reached outside, she gave out a shrill whistle.

It was time to use another spell that Hazel created and was dying to try out. Three months since its completion, the spell had yet to be cast. To use it, she needed a lead, and now she had one potentially. It was perfect.

She was going to the ministry, for the game was finally on.

* * *

"Madeye!" Hazel demanded attention as soon as she swung open the door to his office. She had been able to navigate back to the auror offices from the fireplaces in the lobby surprisingly without any questions being asked to her reason for being there. Considering that they had just had a raid, this was quite surprising.

Maybe that's why they had Thorfinn Rowle just waltzing around.

Hazel had barged into a meeting, as Madeye was there with no other than the department head, Barty Crouch Sr. She had seen him before but Hazel smirked a little bit when she remembered the story about his son.

'What an embarrassment that would be if information like that ever got out,' Hazel thought smugly. He was considered to be the favorite for successor of Minister Bagnold, but how quickly that would go if anyone learned that his son had an affiliation with the very group that he had sworn off as treasonous.

She had stood outside the doorway for a minute before coming in, so she knew what the meeting was about and just how a certain department head's train of thought was drifting to what sort of roast was being offered for lunch that day in the commons. She hadn't dared look into Moody's mind. She had a fear of that for what she might see and what he might do if he found out.

She was good, but not good enough to handle him she knew.

"Miss, we're in the middle of a meet-" Crouch Sr. had begun to complain, looking aghast at her sudden intrusion, but Madeye corrected him without even looking in Hazel's direction, focused on whatever papers were in front of him at that moment.

"She knows Crouch, she's the one I hired." At Madeye's words, Crouch's expression changed from irritated to surprised.

"Miss Potter then I presume?" Hazel nodded.

"Well," Crouch sounded very curtly. "I must say I'm not sure why you're here however, I would have thought that you would be off reading minds and finding the perpetrators."

Hazel was a bit offended by the doubt he was so obviously portraying.

"Crouch," Madeye warned.

"I need to take a look where the break in was and employment records."

"Been over them, everyone who was here that night checks out."

"Well it's not really the people who were supposed to be here that's the problem now is it?"

"What've you found," Madeye finally turned to face her and she observed the map that they had been looking at. There were several red dots over it with paths marked in-between.

"When I found out if its relevant, I'll let you know." Hazel was going off of Reg's list, which although she trusted, she needed to narrow it down. This was just the first tick off hopefully.

"No secrets Potter," Madeye looked at her sternly.

"Its not a secret, but it's also not relevant right now."

"Mind games are not appreciated," Crouch looked at her untrustingly.

Rachel had told her about this one time. A deatheater had been brought to trial and had been a legilimens, During her trial, she had made an attempt to sway the minds of the Wizengamot by implanting the idea of her innocence in her mind. She had failed and Crouch had sentenced her to life in Azkaban right there and then without even completely the trial.

Apparently he still had a grudge.

Hazel had scoffed when Rachel told him the story. He was afraid that women? If she was caught then she was hardly a threat was she? He hadn't caught her just outside the door had he?

Still, she was going to have to work him down a bit. Having the head of the department that paid you not trust you was not a good way to go. Still, Hazel didn't plan to be in his… 'service' long.

"No mind games, just investigation in which I was promised autonomy."

"Autonomy with check ins," Madeye corrected her, narrowing his eye. "Where are you at?"

"My little birds have flown Madeye, I'll hear their sweet little melodies soon," Hazel gave a charming smile and sang in a sing song voice.

"Time is in important."

"It's been three days."

"You've seen what can happen in an hour."

Madeye had a point, and she nodded at him, more sullen. Crouch looked like he was about to ask something.

She could here his mind fluttering about 'what birds?'

Looks like he wasn't in the loop as much as he and the public thought he was.

Hazel made contact with him and could hear his thoughts a bit deeper down than just what crossed his mind and she nearly chuckled.

Apparently he didn't believe that she was legitimately good at what she had been asked to do, gathering information, and even if she was, she couldn't be trusted.

Maybe it was different when one sat in the chair that sentenced the punishments, but Hazel wasn't fond of the idea of prison. She was going to bloody good at what she does in order to that.

"Do I have permission or not?" Hazel looked back at Madeye who paused for a moment before gruffly nodding. He flicked his wand towards her and a badge appeared on her lapel. It was a little gold one with her name on it and where she needed to go; the brain room and the hall of prophecies.

The ministry often used different types of badges to inform whoever needed to what amount of access the person was entitled to. The gold one, Hazel hoped, was unlimited.

"Potter!" Madeye called.

"I'm right here," Hazel looked at him confused.

"Not you."

Hazel tensed as she realized what he meant.

"Yeah Madeye?" Her brother appeared in the doorway and Hazel peered sheepishly at him who looked at her in surprise.

"See her down to the Department of Mysteries and keep an eye on her," Hazel shot a glare back at Madeye who had a somewhat uncharacteristic cheeky grin on his face.

"Off you go," Crouch commented, obviously eager to see them go.

Hazel and James looked at one another with mixed emotions for another couple of seconds before James turned and walked without a word, heading down the hall.

Hazel went to follow him but hesitated by the door.

"It's a beef roast by the way, since you were wondering," Hazel smirked with her back to the two gentleman before leaving, knowing that Crouch's face grew red and his thoughts embarrassed and angry behind her.

Strategically, revealing that she had been in his mind was a good way to win him over. Her mood was considerably diminished already though and it was just a little bit of fun.

* * *

Hazel and James waited silently in the elevator as it swung every which way, its aim the Department of Mysteries down below. They stood far apart and avoided eye contact.

Hazel stood straight ahead however and didn't let her emotions get to her.

'Don't think of him, them, anyone… just the Department of Mysteries,' She repeated to herself as they finally reached the deeply positioned Department.

Almost immediately, there was a definite change from upstairs were there was nearly no security.

Barriers of red light were put up, with aurors and forensics alike scrambling around.

Hazel almost screamed at them to stop what they were doing because they were contaminating her scene. How did they expect her to work and figure the mystery out with them messing everything up.

"Tell them to leave," Hazel said immediately as she and her twin stepped out of the elevator.

"They have jobs to do to, you don't honestly think Madeye got his way of having you the only one on the case do you? These are highly skilled professionals, not amateurs." James said salt-ishly .

Hazel did a quick scan of the room.

"They're all looking in the wrong places, you'll be lucky to find anything of relation before Christmas with the 'highly-skilled professionals'." Hazel could see where their encounter at that moment was going. "So I ask again, tell them to leave."

James looked at her for another second with a glare, obviously being able to tell how she had come to that conclusion. She excluded him from her sweep.

"You're the guest here, you play by our rules." James glowered at her after a moment of seeming contemplation. Hazel paused a moment before taking a step closer to him.

He was only a couple of inches taller than her, but the heels of her boots made her at eye-level with him.

"I was given the task of finding the records that were taken by _your_ boss and I was given autonomy in my tactics to do this. And my way includes being the only one in this room so the brain-cell killing theories of these true amateurs don't mess with my real one. So I ask you again, clear them out, or I will block out their theories another way."

"Stop your silly little intimidation play, you've been using it for years and its really getting old. Block them out, but the aurors and detectives will stay here and do their job as well. You're not the only one capable of figuring this case out."

Hazel shook her head at him.

Perhaps not, but she was the only one who could find it in time for the information to make a damn difference.

Looks like her 'other tactics' were going to have to come into play.

Instead of speaking again, Hazel turned back to the scene and let James lead the way into it, the check points being opened. Distrustful stares were cast in Hazel's direction.

She was led to the hall of prophecies first, a place she had read about but never truly seen.

A long, darkly lit room with tall ceilings and endless cases of crystal balls lining the room, the entire place was quite intimidating.

"Mr. Potter," One of the useless investigators, this one with a great big belly and a baldhead, came up to them and shook her brother's hand. He glanced her not nearly as welcomingly.

"We've been investigating a series of destroyed shelves, the only indication that anything was taken besides the stolen files from an auror's desk, we've co-"

Hazel stopped him there with a snap of her fingers, his mouth zipping closed.

James looked at her angrily (what else was new?) and went to grab her arm, but Hazel walked to where she thought the center of the room was and sat down, her wand out. There was still too much noise from all of the other theories in the room however.

'Somnora Quiestra,' Hazel said in her head, a hazy white light being emitted from her wand.

The light travelled slowly, undulating around the room.

One by one, she heard bodies drop to the floor, and her mind began to clear. She smiled, a huge weight seemingly lifted and everything becoming clear, but it was soon disturbed by James.

"What the fuck Hazel!" He was in front of her again. Of course her spell didn't work on him, it required going into the mind and inducing sleep, a neat little incantation that Hazel had created during a slow period with work. An induced sleeping spell that was more effective and more controlled than any sleeping draught.

"Quiet dear brother, or I'll put you to sleep too," Hazel shifted in order to get more comfortable and she relaxed her body.

He looked at her incredulously, but Hazel guessed that he got the message that she wasn't going to stop.

"Go and stand by the door so you're not in my way," Hazel really wasn't paying attention to him now, and ignored his few more words that he had to say.

He did however seemingly give in and leave to the front entrance of the hall.

Once Hazel was satisfied with her position, she raised her wand gently and did a slow, sweeping motion above her head, pointing to each side of the room.

"Praeteri Unuma," Hazel whispered gently, not willing to risk her usual silent magic.

A blue fog emerged form the ground and whirled around aimlessly for a few seconds, before it eventually condensed into shapes and figures. The damaged shelved were recreated in their previous state via the fog, everything looking exactly as it had not even a week ago.

"Let's do this," Hazel murmured to herself before she stated the incantation 'Praeteritum Praesenta', and the fog figures began to move.

Hazel closed her eyes and she was instantly met with a view of the whole room from above, able to see each figure closely.

Almost immediately, she spotted Rowle in the elevator, signing off on a passage and who she gathered was an unspeakable taking it away. The fog figure of him gave a prolonged look at the room before eventually stalking back into the elevator and leaving.

She had her figure, but she was still a while before the attack.

She buckled down for the next few hours; this was going to probably take a while.

* * *

 **AN: Thanks for reading, I appreciate reviews and feedback. I'll try and update soon :).**


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